title: Technical note: improved DNA extraction from ancient bones using silica-based spin columns.
abstract: We describe a simple method for extracting polymerase chain reaction-amplifiable DNA from ancient bones without the use of organic solvents. Bone powders are digested with proteinase K, and the DNA is purified directly using silica-based spin columns (QIAquick3, QIAGEN). The efficiency of this protocol is demonstrated using human bone samples ranging in age from 15 to 5,000 years old.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eng
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Waye
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dudar
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Saunders
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005580:Fossils; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D004247:DNA