Keratin Biosynthesis II. Extraction and Characterization of Nucleic Acids from Wool Roots

Abstract

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), soluble RNA (sRNA), and DNA have been extracted from wool roots in good yield and purity. rRNA and sRNA were prepared by extracting wool roots with a hydrophilic salt and a phenol-cresol mixture and rRNA was selectively precipitated with m·cresol. DNA was extracted with a salt having lipophilic and chelating properties, together with the phenol-cresol mixture. Two·stage extraction procedures were essential for the preparation of stable, undegraded nucleic acids.