Part of the book series:Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 840))
Abstract
A variety of DNA extraction methods have been employed successfully to extract DNA from museum specimens. Toe pads are a common source of ancient DNA in birds, as they are generally not an informative character and can be removed without significant destruction of precious specimens. However, the DNA in these tissues is often highly degraded, both by natural postmortem decay and due to treatment by preservatives. In this case study chapter, we describe the use of both a commercial DNA extraction method and a silica-based method to extract ancient DNA from desiccated toe pads from the extinct passenger pigeon,Ectopistes migratorius. Successful amplification of nuclear DNA was achieved from both methods, representing the first nuclear DNA sequence recovered from this extinct species. We describe simple modifications to both protocols that we employed during the DNA extraction process.
*Note: In the case study presented in this chapter, we describe the extraction of DNA from toe pads of museum-preserved specimens of the passenger pigeon,Ectopistes migratorius, using a method similar to that presented inChap. 3. Other methods, such as those described inChap. 2, may also be appropriate to extract DNA from this type of sample. We discuss specific challenges associated with applying this extraction method to ancient toe pad samples, including the use of dithiothreitol (DTT) for tissue dissolution. For more information, see the original publication of the scientific results in (1).
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References
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Acknowledgments
We thank Clemency Fisher and the National Museums Liverpool for providingEctopistes material for analysis. Funding for this research was provided by the Pennsylvania State University to BS and an Undergraduate Discovery Grant to SMW.
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Authors and Affiliations
Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
Tara L. Fulton & Stephen M. Wagner
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, A414 Earth & Marine Sciences, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
Beth Shapiro
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- Stephen M. Wagner
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Correspondence toTara L. Fulton.
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Editors and Affiliations
Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biolog, University of California Santa Cruz, A414 Earth & Marine Sciences, Santa Cruz, 16802, California, USA
Beth Shapiro
, Department of Biology (Area 2), University of York, Heslington, York, YO 105DD, United Kingdom
Michael Hofreiter
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Fulton, T.L., Wagner, S.M., Shapiro, B. (2012). Case Study: Recovery of Ancient Nuclear DNA from Toe Pads of the Extinct Passenger Pigeon. In: Shapiro, B., Hofreiter, M. (eds) Ancient DNA. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 840. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-516-9_4
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