Skip to main content
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1977 Oct;60(4):543–547. doi: 10.1104/pp.60.4.543

Factors Affecting the Extraction of Intact Ribonucleic Acid from Plant Tissues Containing Interfering Phenolic Compounds

H John Newbury 1, John V Possingham 1
PMCID: PMC542660  PMID: 16660134

Abstract

Using conventional methods it is impossible to extract RNA as uncomplexed intact molecules from the leaves of grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) and from a number of woody perennial species that contain high levels of reactive phenolic compounds. A procedure involving the use of high concentrations of the chaotropic agent sodium perchlorate prevents the binding of phenolic compounds to RNA during extraction. Analyses of the phenolics present in plant tissues used in these experiments indicate that there is a poor correlation between the total phenolic content and the complexing of RNA. However, qualitative analyses suggest that proanthocyanidins are involved in the tanning of RNA during conventional extractions.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BATE-SMITH E. C., LERNER N. H. Leuco-anthocyanins. 2. Systematic distribution of leuco-anthocyanins in leaves. Biochem J. 1954 Sep;58(1):126–132. doi: 10.1042/bj0580126. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Hatefi Y., Hanstein W. G. Solubilization of particulate proteins and nonelectrolytes by chaotropic agents. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1969 Apr;62(4):1129–1136. doi: 10.1073/pnas.62.4.1129. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Loening U. E., Ingle J. Diversity of RNA components in green plant tissues. Nature. 1967 Jul 22;215(5099):363–367. doi: 10.1038/215363a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Loomis W. D. Overcoming problems of phenolics and quinones in the isolation of plant enzymes and organelles. Methods Enzymol. 1974;31:528–544. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(74)31057-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Sawyer W. H., Puckridge J. The dissociation of proteins by chaotropic salts. J Biol Chem. 1973 Dec 25;248(24):8429–8433. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Solymosy F., Lázár G., Bagi G. An improved version of the diethyl pyrocarbonate method for extracting ribosomal nucleic acids. Anal Biochem. 1970 Nov;38(1):40–45. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(70)90153-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. VONHIPPEL P. H., WONG K. Y. NEUTRAL SALTS: THE GENERALITY OF THEIR EFFECTS ON THE STABILITY OF MACROMOLECULAR CONFORMATIONS. Science. 1964 Aug 7;145(3632):577–580. doi: 10.1126/science.145.3632.577. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Wilcockson J. The use of sodium perchlorate in deproteinization during the preparation of nucleic acids. Biochem J. 1973 Nov;135(3):559–561. doi: 10.1042/bj1350559. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES