Xanthogenate nucleic acid isolation from cultured and environmental cyanobacteria

The isolation of high-quality nucleic acids from cyanobacterial strains, in particular environmental isolates, has proven far from trivial. We present novel techniques for the extraction of high molecular weight DNA and RNA f rom a range of cultured and environmental cyanobacteria, including stains b elonging to the genera Microcystis, Lyngbya, Pseudanabaena, Aphanizomenon, Nodularia, Anabaena, and Nostoc, based on the use of the nontoxic polysacch aride solubilizing compound xanthogenate. These methods are rapid, require no enzymatic or mechanical cell disruption, and have been used to isolate b oth DNA and RNA free of enzyme inhibitors or nucleases. In addition, these procedures have proven critical in the molecular analysis of bloom-forming and other environmental cyanobacterial isolates. Finally, these techniques are of general microbiological utility for a diverse range of noncyanobacte rial microorganisms, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the Archea.