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Discovering the Secrets of Ancient Plants: Recovery of DNA from Museum and Archaeological Plant Specimens
Oscar Estrada1,2,3, Stephen M Richards4, James Breen5
1Centre for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse (CAGT), CNRS UMR 5288, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France. oscarestrada05@gmail.com.
Abstract:
Plant DNA preserved in ancient specimens has recently gained importance as a tool in comparative genomics, allowing the investigation of evolutionary processes in plant genomes through time. However, recovering the genomic information contained in such specimens is challenging owing to the presence of secondary substances that limit DNA retrieval. In this chapter, we provide a DNA extraction protocol optimized for the recovery of DNA from degraded plant materials. The protocol is based on a commercially available DNA extraction kit that does not require handling of hazardous reagents.

