Plant Biotechnology

Electronic Journal of Biotechnology ISSN: 0717-3458 Vol. 11 No. 3, Issue of July 15, 2008
© 2008 by Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso -- Chile Received April 15, 2007 / Accepted January 23, 2008
DOI: 10.2225/vol11-issue3-fulltext-5
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Efficient protocol for isolation of functional RNA from different grape tissue rich in polyphenols and polysaccharides for gene expression studies

 Hemanth K.N. Vasanthaiah*
Division of Plant Biotechnology
Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research
Florida A & M University
6505 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee
Florida - 32317, USA
Tel: 1 850 412 5191
Fax: 1 850 561 2617
E-mail: hemanth.vasanthaiah@gmail.com 

Ramesh Katam
Division of Plant Biotechnology
Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research
Florida A & M University
6505 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee
Florida - 32317, USA
Tel: 1 850 412 5190
Fax: 1 850 561 2617
E-mail:katamr@yahoo.com 

Mehboob B. Sheikh
Division of Plant Biotechnology
Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research
Florida A & M University
6505 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee
Florida - 32317, USA
Tel: 1 850 412 5189
Fax: 1 850 561 2617
E-mail: mehboob.sheikh@famu.edu

Website: http://www.famu.edu/oldsite/acad/colleges/cesta/vit-faculty.htm

*Corresponding author

Financial support: The research was supported by Florida Grape Growers Association.

Keywords: differential display RT-PCR, grape, RNA isolation, RT-PCR, subtractive hybridization, Vitis.

Abbreviations:

CTAB: Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide
DEPC: Diethyl pyrocarbonate
GT: Guanadine thiocyanite
PVP: Polyvinylpyrrolidone
RT-PCR: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
SDS: Sodium dodecyl sulfate

Abstract   Full Text

Extraction of RNA from plant tissue containing high levels of polyphenols and polysaccharides is tedious and difficult in grapes. Although several protocols have been published for plant RNA isolation, most have failed to yield high quality RNA in sufficient quantity from mature and diseased grape tissue. We describe a protocol for isolating intact and high quality RNA from various grape tissues as evident by high A260/A280 absorbance ratio (1.8 to 1.9) and electrophoretic profile on denaturing formaldehyde agarose gel. On an average, 205 µg RNA per g of fresh tissue were obtained using this modified protocol. RNA quality was further assessed through RT-PCR, differential display RT-PCR and subtractive hybridization, and found to be suitable for molecular studies.

Supported by UNESCO / MIRCEN network