Feces are increasingly used as sources of DNA for genetic and ecological research. This paper describes a new method for isolation of DNA from animal feces. This method combines multiple purification steps, including pretreatment with ethanol and TE, an inhibitor-absorber made of starch, the CTAB method, the phenol–chloroform extraction method, and the guanidinium thiocyanate-silica method. The new method is efficient according to PCR results of 585 fecal samples from 23 species and costs much less than the commercial kits. The protocol can be tailored to the specific purpose of examining different diets of animals and can be performed with routine laboratory reagents.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was funded by the CAS Innovative Research International Partnership Project (CXTDS2005-4) and State Forestry Administration of China. Special thanks are given to Mr. Liu Zhijin, Ms. Zeng Yan, Ms. Zhang Fangfang, Mr. Zhu Lifeng, and Ms. Liu Qing for their lab work. We are also grateful to Dr. Zhang Zejun, who helped with sampling.
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Zhang, BW., Li, M., Ma, LC. et al. A Widely Applicable Protocol for DNA Isolation from Fecal Samples. Biochem Genet 44, 494–503 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10528-006-9050-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10528-006-9050-1