Preservation Techniques Affecting Dna Extraction From Cimex Lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)

Abstract:
The quality and quantity of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from insects are extremely important in genomic research. We tested the hypothesis that DNA can be extracted from bed bugs when stored in different preservatives at various temperatures. The bed bugs were stored in five preservatives including ethanol 90 and 70%, isopropanol 90 and 70%, and the no preservative. Bed bugs in all preservatives were stored at -80oC, -20oC and room temperature. DNA from bed bugs was extracted using Puregene Core Kit A. The DNA quantity was measured by Nanodrop-1000 and the DNA quality was determined by running 0.3 µg DNA in 1.7 agarose gel. We observed the significant reduction in the DNA yield over time. The DNA quantity ranged from 87.67 to 143.56 ng/µl, and DNA purity ranged from 1.82 to 2.1 (best purity = 1.80-2.00). Our data demonstrated that DNA can be extracted from bed bugs regardless of preservatives and temperatures. These data are exceedingly valuable to support genomic and forensic research.