4.4@ RNA Extraction

Tomomichi Fujita, Tetsuya Kurata
and Mitsuyasu Hasebe

 

 

A. Precautions

(1) Use gloves, disposable tubes (usually not necessary to autoclave, use RNase-free tubes)

(2) Make a distinction between RNA utensils and reagents and those used for other purposes (Do not use RNA utensils for other purposes. It is better to make special shelf for RNA reagents)

(3) Do not open the caps of the bottles of RNase and Pronase in the laboratory.

(4) Do not weigh RNase, DNase, and Pronase.@ Believe the label and dissolve the contents at a time with appropriate buffer.

(5) Do not discard high concentrations of the solution or used tubes in the lab.

(6) Be careful of contamination. Use species-specific mortars and pestles if necessary.

(7) Plant tissue is the biggest source of RNase, so mix tissue with buffer as quickly as possible.

(8) You yourself are another source of RNase. Keep your mouth shut!!

 

B. Pretreatment

(1) Sterilize all utensils by autoclaving (120˚C 20 min) or oven (200˚C 3 hours). Plastic tubes do not require pretreatment.

(2) Inactivate RNase with DEP (Diethylpyrocarbonate):

All reagents except Tris

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Add 2% (v/v) DEP in Draft

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Keep at least 2 hours at room temp in Draft

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Autoclave (121C 40min)

For Tris

Use RNase free reagents (usually there is no problem to use regular grade Tris, but do not use the bottle for other purposes)

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Dissolve in DEP treated H2O with sterilized utensils

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Adjust pH with pH paper or clean pH electrode

 

 

1jRNeasy (QIAGEN) --- for protonemata: for RACE, RT-PCR

2jISOGEN, ISOGEN-LS (NIPPON GENE, Tokyo, JAPAN) --- for protonemata, sporophytes: for RACE, RT-PCR

3jGuSCN and CTAB method --- for protonemata: for northern, RT-PCR

4jDYNABEADS mRNA DIRECT kit (DYNAL) --- for both protonemata and gametophores: for any purposes

 

You can extract relatively pure total RNA from protonemal tissue, while it may be rather difficult to get pure RNA from gametophores. During RNA isolation steps from gametophores, a polysaccharide-like gelatinous contaminant co-precipitates with extracted RNA after centrifugation, and this pellet never dissolves. Centrifugation is not involved in method 4), and is useful to extract RNA from gametophores. Total RNA from young sporophytes with archegonia still attached was successfully extracted by methods 1) and 2).

 

We use different RNA extraction methods depending on purpose.

 

For RACE

Total RNA and mRNA extracted by 1) and 3) work for the 3'RACE System kit (Invitrogen) and Marathon cDNA amplification system kit (CLONTECH). Total RNA by 3) may sometimes give trouble because of purity.

@

For Northern hybridization

It is better to use about 1 µg poly(A)+RNA per lane for northern blotting, although 10 µg of total RNA per lane may work.

 

For RT-PCR and semi-quantitative RT-PCR

DNase treatment is necessary for every method.

 

 

1)@ RNeasy (QIAGEN)

 

Follow manufacturer's manual.

Note:

- This method is as easy as method 2).

- Avoid overloading sample onto column.

- genomic DNA usually contaminates the RNA.

- 100 µg total RNA from 0.2 g fresh weight of 2-cell stages of protonema regenerated from protoplasts.

- RLT buffer in the kit works well for protonemata.

 

2)@ ISOGEN, ISOGEN-LS (NIPPON GENE, http://nippongene.com/)

 

Follow manufacturer's manual.

Note:

- This method is as easy as method 1).@ However the purity of total RNA from gametophores is poor and it is hard to concentrate total RNA to more than 200ng/µl.

- This kit is used to get total RNA without genomic DNA.@ In some cases, we extract RNA with the RNeasy kit, then use ISOGEN to remove genomic DNA contaminants from the RNA fraction.

- We extracted total RNA with this kit from young sporophytes with archegonium (~30 µg from 14,500 archegonium, T. Nishiyama, unpublished).

- For protonemata: 50 µg/g fresh weight OD260/OD280 = 1.8

and for gametophore: 10 µg/g fresh weight OD260/OD280 = 1.2 (yellowish color)

- Remove gel-like precipitates (when for protonema) or soft precipitates (gametophore) by pipetting (avoiding the RNA pellet), when LiCl precipitation is carried out.@ When EtOH precipitation is performed, the translucent pellet contains RNA.

3)@ GuSCN and CTAB method

<Extraction of total RNA>@ (large scale)@ (It takes ~8 h)

 

1. Buffer GnSCN@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ final conc.@@@@@@@ 15ml@@@ 30ml@@@ 50ml@@@

 

GuSCN ( Guanidine thiocyanate , mw=118.2) 4 M 7.1 g@@@ 14.2 g@@ 24 g

NH4SCN ( ammonium thiocyanate, mw=76.12)1 M 1.14 g@@ 2.28 g@@ 3.8 g

1 M Tris-HCl (pH 7.5)@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 100 mM@ 1.5 ml@@ 3 ml@@@@ 5 ml

N-lauryl sarcosine@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 1%@@@@@ 0.15 g@@ 0.3 g@@@ 0.5 g

Antifoam A Emulsion (sigma A5758)@@ trace@@@@ 1 drop@@ 1 drop@@ 1drop

PVP 360,000@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ < 0.5%@@ 0.075 g@ 0.15 g@@ 0.25 g

beta-mercaptoethanol@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 1%@@@@@ 150 µl@@ 300 µl@@ 500 µl

 

 

2. CTAB buffer@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ final conc.@@@@@@@ 50 ml@@@ 100 ml

 

CTAB@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 2%@@@@@ 1 g@@@@@ 2 g

1 M Tris.HCl , pH7.5@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 50 mM@@ 2.5 ml@@ 5 ml

0.5 M EDTA.Na2@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 5 mM@@@ 0.5 ml@@ 1 ml@@@@

5 M NaCl@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 0.84 M@@ 8.4 ml@@ 16.8 ml

up to @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 50 ml@@@ 100 ml

 

Add beta-mercaptoethanol just before use@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 500 µl@@ 1 ml

 

3. 10% CTAB buffer@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ final conc.@@@@@@@ 50 ml

 

CTAB@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 10%@@@@ 5 g@@@@@

5M NaCl@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 0.7 M@@@ 7 ml@@@@@@@@@@@@

DEPC water up to 50 ml

 

4. CTAB precipitation buffer@@@@@@@@@ final conc.@@@@@@@ 50 ml

 

CTAB@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 1%@@@@@ 0.5 g

1 M Tris.HCl, pH 7-8@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 50 mM@@ 2.5 ml

0.5 M EDTA@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 5 mM@@@ 500 ul

DEPC water@ up to@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 50 ml

 

5. High-salt TE@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 6. Chloroform/Isoamylalcohol = 24 : 1

0.5 ml Tris.HCl, pH 7-8

0.1 ml 0.5 M EDTA

10 ml 5 M NaCl (final 1M)

DEPC water to 50 ml

 

Procedure

1.@ Grind in liqN2 with mortar and pestle

2.@ Transfer powder to 50 ml tube with 15 ml GuSCN B@ (5 g moss/15 ml at most)

3.@ Shake vigorously

4.@ Add 15 ml of C/I@ (seal with parafilm)

5.@ Shake vigorously for 5 min.

6.@ Cfg at 6K rpm (Hitachi himac CR20E, R12A2 rotor, #25) for 12 min. @RT

7.@ Collect aqueous phase@@@ (should be a little brownish)

8.@ Repeat C/I extraction two more@ (total 3 times)

9.@ Collect aqueous phase (ca. 14 ml)

10. Add 1/10 vol of 3 M NaOAc (pH 5.2) and 2-2.5 vol of 100% of EtOH@ (becomes cloudy)

11. Place on ice for 30 to 60 min.

12. Cfg at 9K rpm for 20 min. at 4˚C

13. Rinse pellet with 80% EtOH,@@ once

14. Resuspend in 5 ml of CTAB B@ (combine tubes, 15-20 ml/tube, ideally 15 ml)*

(warm at 55˚C for 20 min,@ pipetting to <1mm pieces, then cool to RT)

(*)@ you may use falcon2059 and cfg 5k-6k (or 7k with adaptor) with angle roter #7

15. Add 5 ml of C/I and vortex well

16. Cfg at 5K for 10 min. at RT@@@ (thin white interphase)

17. Harvest the sup (~ 5 ml)

18. Add 0.6 ml of 10% CTAB and mix well

19. Add 5.6 ml (1 vol) of C/I, then mix

20. Cfg at 5K for 20 min. at RT

21. Take sup@ (sup= about 5 ml,@ almost no interphase)

22. Add 2-ME to 0.5%

@@@ Add 1.2 vol (6ml) of CTAB pptn B@ (become cloudy)

23. Incubate at RT for 30 to 60 min.

24. Cfg at 9K for 15 min at RT

25. Dissolve the ppt in 5 ml High-Salt TE B (add 2-ME at 0.5% just before use), then heat to 50-60 ˚C for 2 – 3 min@ (by pipetting)

26. Add 2.5 vol (12.5 ml) of 100% EtOH

27. Place on ice for 30 to 60 min.

28. Cfg at 9K for 20 min. at 4˚C

29. Rinse with 80% EtOH once

30. Dissolve in 300 µl TE (300 µl/ a 50 ml tube)

 

This resultant fraction contains total RNA and genomic DNA.@ To remove genomic DNA, we usually perform the following protocol by using ISOGEN-LS (NIPPON GENE).@

 

(300 µl; convenient for ISOGEN-LS, see below)

(by pipetting and still cloudy)

 

<ISOGEN-LS (NIPPON GENE)>@ (2.5 h)

31. Transfer the solution into 1.5 ml tube@ (<300 µl / a tube)

32. Add 3 vol. of ISOGEN-LS (900 ul /tube)

33. Mix well and incubate for 5 min at RT

34. Add 0.8 vol. (300*0.8=240 µl) of CHCl3 (-IAA)

35. Shake vigorously for 15 sec and then incubate for 2 to 3 min. at RT

36. Cfg at 15K rpm for 15 min. at 4ºC

37. Collect aqueous phase@ (about a half of the above sum, ~750 ul)

38. Add 1 vol. of isopropanol

39. Incubate for 10 min at RT

40. Cfg at 15K for 10 min at 4˚C

41. Rinse with 80% EtOH, once

42. Dry

43. Dissolve in H2O or TE@ (~150 µl / 1.5 ml tube = 50 ml tube, if 5 g, 200 µg RNA/150 µl)

44. AGE to check@@ (loading 1ul is usually enough even in DNA gel)

45. Quantification by spectrophotometer@

 

4) DYNABEADS mRNA DIRECT kit (DYNAL)

Meterials

E 3 g fresh or frozen samples

 

Reagents

DYNABEADS mRNA DIRECT kit (DYNAL) or prepare the following reagents

@

EDynabeads Oligo (dT)25 (DYNAL) Magnetic beads

E Lysis/Bindingbuffer

100 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0

500 mM LiCl

10 mM EDTA pH 8.0

1% SDS

5 mM DTT

 

E SDS+Washingbuffer

10 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0@@@@@

0.15 M LiCl@@@@@@

1 mM EDTA

0.1% SDS

 

E Washingbuffer

10 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0

0.15 M LiCl@@@@@@

1 mM EDTA

 

E Elutionbuffer

2 mM EDTA pH 8.0

 

Magnetic stand for recover magnetic beads

E Dynal MPC-1

E Dynal MPC-E-1

E Heat block

 

Protocol

Follow the manufacturer's instruction, protocol B-for large scale mRNA isolation

Note

As the purity of poly(A)+ RNA obtained in this way is not good, we further purify the RNA by ISOGEN-LS (NIPPON GENE).

Yield and purity just after the extraction with

protonemata: 3 ug poly(A)+RNA/g fresh weight,@ OD260/OD280=1.6

gametophores: 1-2 ug poly(A)+RNA/g fresh weight,@ OD260/OD280=1.6

 

 

 

For total RNA including small RNAs with miRNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen)

 

Follow manufacturer's manual.

Note:

- The protocol for animal tissues was modified at several steps as follows:

@ 1) Grind moss samples under liquid nitrogen.

@ 2) Transfer cell powder into QIAzol Lysis Reagent, and incubate at 54˚C for 5 min.

@ 3) Transfer QIAzol sol containing cells into QIAshredder (not supplied in kit).

@ 4) Carefully transfer the supernatant of the flow-through fraction to a new tube

@ 5) Additional warming is not needed.

@ 6) following steps are same as the animal tissue protocol.

 

- 200 µg total RNA from 0.7 g fresh weight of dissected gametophores