Isolation of DNA, RNA, and Protein from the Moss Physcomitrella patens Gametophytes

INTRODUCTION

This protocol describes a series of procedures for isolating nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and proteins from moss (Physcomitrella patens) tissue. This series includes a rapid, small-scale procedure for isolating DNA, which results in genomic DNA that is only suitable for polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as well as a method for obtaining much larger amounts of genomic DNA suitable for Southern analysis. The latter method makes use of the Nucleon PhytoPure Genomic DNA Extraction Kit (GE Healthcare). The RNA extraction procedure uses the Plant RNA Isolation Mini Kit (Agilent) with some modifications. A method for extracting proteins from moss gametophytes is also presented.