by Michelle Taylor, Editor-in-Chief
The preferred source of DNA in human genetics research is blood, or cell lines derived from blood, as these sources yield large quantities of high-quality DNA. However, DNA extraction from saliva can yield high-quality DNA with little to no degradation/fragmentation that is suitable for a variety of DNA assays.
In fact, saliva and buccal samples have become increasingly valuable sources of genetic material for clinical applications due to ease of access (non-invasive sample collection), as well as convenient storage and transport procedures. Multiple reports indicate that saliva samples provide better quality DNA than buccal samples.1
But, extracting DNA in the laboratory isn’t always as straightforward as lyse, precipitate, wash, suspend, especially given today’s increasingly advanced DNA analysis methods like multiplex, real-time PCR and next-generation sequencing.
1. Optimize critical parameters
The amount and quality of DNA obtained from human samples can vary widely depending on the state and type of starting material. In general, best laboratory practices involve minimizing the amount of time between the removal of the bodily fluid or tissue from the human body (or cell culture dish) and storage at a very low temperature (−80°C or liquid nitrogen storage highly recommended).1
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