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Need to improve RNA integrity


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#1 maritsasd

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Posted 06 January 2005 - 05:51 AM

After following the Invitrogen method for RNA isolation form small quantities of tissue, I extracted 132.8mcg/ml of RNA.  However, my 260:280 ratio was only 1.4955.  I need to improve this number to about 6.0 or 7.0.  Does anyone have any suggestions? B)

#2 DointheScience

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Posted 06 January 2005 - 10:03 AM

Do you mean 1.6 or 1.7?!  260:280 of 6.0 would be absolutely amazing.  I routinely use Tri-Reagent for extraction and suffer the same problem.  I ignore it for the most case when using tissue culture pellets, but when I extract from animal tissues I often re-extract one or two times with phenol: acid-chloroform.  Ambion is a good source for such reagents and information on working with RNA.  (www.ambion.com)

The alternative is to pruchase RNeasy columns from Qiagen.  I use them when preparing RNA for microarray and the yield puritiy ratios >1.9.  You could always take your existing extractions and pass them though the columns, I believe there is a protocol in the QIagen manual for doing this.

B) The Biology Ninja

#3 LabGirl

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Posted 06 January 2005 - 03:07 PM

I agree with the ninja. I personally like the RNeasy kits because I consistently get RNA with a 260:280 around 1.9 and you can somewhat control the concentration based upon how many times you run water through the column (the last step of the protocol). Also, I am not a big fan of working with phenol/chloroform and the RNeasy uses columns as an alternative. Good luck.

#4 DointheScience

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Posted 08 January 2005 - 01:07 PM

Of course...if you follow the Qiagen protocol, you have to add B-mercaptoethanol to the lysis buffer.  BME stinks like poo poo.

I called Qiagen tech support to see if I could omit the BME.  They tell me it is neccessary for denaturing RNases.  Unless I'm mistaken, BME reduces di-sulfide bonds largely.  I don't know about it's ability to denature protein.  They tell me I cannot substitute DTT for the BME...I don't know if I believe them but have yet to be adventureous enough to attempt using DTT in lieu.  Anyone tried something besides BME?

DTT reminds me of popcorn.  It's yummier to smell.

:)
- The Biology Ninja




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