Journal Article

Evaluating the performance of five up-to-date DNA/RNA co-extraction methods for forensic application

Shanthan, Gnanagowry, Thi Dinh, Huyen Mong, Fonneløp, Ane Elida, Bouzga, Mariam Mjærum, Haas, Cordula, Wang, Shouyu

2021

Overview

•The performance of five DNA/RNA co-extraction method are evaluated.•Variable DNA/RNA quantities were observed among the tested methods.•Two modified methods combining commercially available DNA and RNA extraction kits showed best results.•Extensive evaluation and optimization is necessary for new combination of kits. The importance of RNA evidence is growing with new developments in RNA profiling methods and purposes. As forensic samples often can be of small quantity, extraction methods with high yields of both DNA and RNA are desirable. In order to identify the optimal DNA/RNA co-extraction workflow for forensic samples, we evaluated the performance of three frequently-used methods, two new approaches for DNA/RNA co-extraction and a manual phenol/chloroform RNA-only extraction method on blood and saliva samples. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the RNA and DNA quantities, as well as the STR genotyping and mRNA profiling results, we conclude that the two frequently-used co-extraction methods, combining commercially available DNA and RNA extraction kits, achieved the best performance. However, not any combination of commercially available DNA and RNA extraction kits works well and extensive optimization is necessary, as seen in the poor results of the two new approaches.

• Publisher: Elsevier B.V,Elsevier Limited
• Subject: blood / Body fluid identification / Body fluids / Chloroform / Deoxyribonucleic acid / DNA / DNA/RNA co-extraction methods / Forensic Genetics / Forensic Medicine / Forensic science / Forensic sciences / Genotyping / Laboratories / Manufacturers / Methods / Microsatellite Repeats / mRNA / mRNA profiling / Optimization / Performance evaluation / phenol / Phenols / Ribonucleic acid / RNA / RNA, Messenger / Saliva / Workflow