title: High quality RNA extraction from Maqui berry for its application in next-generation sequencing.
abstract: Maqui berry (Aristotelia chilensis) is a native Chilean species that produces berries that are exceptionally rich in anthocyanins and natural antioxidants. These natural compounds provide an array of health benefits for humans, making them very desirable in a fruit. At the same time, these substances also interfere with nucleic acid preparations, making RNA extraction from Maqui berry a major challenge. Our group established a method for RNA extraction of Maqui berry with a high quality RNA (good purity, good integrity and higher yield). This procedure is based on the adapted CTAB method using high concentrations of PVP (4 %) and β-mercaptoethanol (4 %) and spermidine in the extraction buffer. These reagents help to remove contaminants such as polysaccharides, proteins, phenols and also prevent the oxidation of phenolic compounds. The high quality of RNA isolated through this method allowed its uses with success in molecular applications for this endemic Chilean fruit, such as differential expression analysis of RNA-Seq data using next generation sequencing (NGS). Furthermore, we consider that our method could potentially be used for other plant species with extremely high levels of antioxidants and anthocyanins.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, 8580000 Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, 8580000 Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villacreses
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, 8580000 Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Noelle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, 8580000 Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Loreto
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, 8580000 Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, 8580000 Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, 8580000 Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manque
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, 8580000 Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Soledad F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Undurraga
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, 8580000 Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Polanco
keywords: CTAB; Maqui berry; RNA extraction; RNA-Seq