Abstract
DNA can be isolated from a variety of human sample sources including
anti-coagulant whole blood, bloodstains, hairs, tissue samples and
buccal epithelial cells. The purpose of this study was to compare yield
and quality of DNA samples obtained with the use of three different
methods. The ability of these procedures to provide DNA for polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) amplification from archival unstained bone marrow
slides was tested on 35 different patients' slides. Boiling in
distilled water (A), proteinase K/Tween 35 method coupled with
simplified phenol/chloroform isoamyl alcohol protocol (B) and modified
commercial nucleon extraction and purification protocol (C, Amersham
Life Science) gave extraction efficiencies of 57, 74 and 100%
respectively. Our results demonstrate that rough DNA extraction methods
have decreased efficiencies compared to complete DNA extraction
protocols and that the latter are required to ensure highly
reproducible results from archival unstained bone marrow slides.