DNA extraction from dry museum beetles without conferring external morphological damage.
BACKGROUND
A large number of dry-preserved insect specimens exist in collections around the world that might be useful for genetic analyses. However, until now, the recovery of nucleic acids from such specimens has involved at least the partial destruction of the specimen. This is clearly undesirable when dealing with rare species or otherwise important specimens, such as type specimens.


METHODS
We describe a method for the extraction of PCR-amplifiable mitochondrial and nuclear DNA from dry insects without causing external morphological damage. Using PCR to amplify approximately 220 bp of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase I, and 250-345 bp fragments of the multi-copy, nuclear 28s ribosomal DNA gene, we demonstrate the efficacy of this method on beetles collected up to 50 years ago.


CONCLUSIONS
This method offers a means of obtaining useful genetic information from rare insects without conferring external morphological damage.
Gilbert
M Thomas P
MT
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America. mtpgilbert@gmail.com
Moore
Wendy
W
Melchior
Linea
L
Worobey
Michael
M
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017931:DNA Primers; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000235:genetics; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D009144:Museums; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
D017931:DNA Primers; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D004247:DNA