Extraction of bacterial RNA from soil: challenges and solutions.
Detection of bacterial gene expression in soil emerged in the early 1990s and provided information on bacterial responses in their original soil environments. As a key procedure in the detection, extraction of bacterial RNA from soil has attracted much interest, and many methods of soil RNA extraction have been reported in the past 20 years. In addition to various RT-PCR-based technologies, new technologies for gene expression analysis, such as microarrays and high-throughput sequencing technologies, have recently been applied to examine bacterial gene expression in soil. These technologies are driving improvements in RNA extraction protocols. In this mini-review, progress in the extraction of bacterial RNA from soil is summarized with emphasis on the major difficulties in the development of methodologies and corresponding strategies to overcome them.
Environmental Biofunction Division, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, 3-1-3 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8604, Japan. ywangbio@affrc.go.jp
Yong
Y
Wang
Masahito
M
Hayatsu
Takeshi
T
Fujii
D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / Q000379:methods; D046228:Microarray Analysis / Q000379:methods; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012988:Soil Microbiology
D012329:RNA, Bacterial