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Updated: Mar 8, 2026
13:03
Robust DNA Isolation and High-throughput Sequencing Library Construction for Herbarium Specimens
Published on: March 8, 2018
11.1K
Phylogenomics using formalin-fixed and 100+ year-old intractable natural history specimens
Sara Ruane1, Christopher C Austin1,2
1Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, 119 Foster Hall, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
Molecular Ecology Resources
|January 25, 2017
Summary
Researchers developed a new DNA extraction protocol to recover genetic data from old, preserved museum specimens. This method successfully sequenced ultraconserved elements from ancient snakes, aiding phylogenomic studies and the study of rare species.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Zoology
Background:
- Museum specimens are valuable biological resources.
- Extracting high-quality DNA from preserved specimens is difficult.
- Existing methods are often slow and yield limited genetic data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an efficient protocol for DNA extraction from formalin-fixed and fluid-preserved specimens.
- To recover genetic data from historical snake specimens for phylogenomic analysis.
- To demonstrate the utility of museum collections for modern genetic research.
Main Methods:
- Modified DNA extraction protocol.
- High-throughput sequencing of ultraconserved elements (UCEs).
- Phylogenomic analysis incorporating data from historical and modern samples.
Main Results:
- Successfully extracted and sequenced DNA from 10 fluid-preserved snakes collected over a century ago.
- Recovered 2318 ultraconserved elements (UCE) loci per sample.
- Generated a robust phylogeny including historical specimens and resolving placement of rare species.
Conclusions:
- The developed protocol enables efficient DNA recovery from challenging museum specimens.
- Museum collections are crucial for expanding phylogenomic datasets.
- This method facilitates the study of historically underrepresented or previously unsequenced species.
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