Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Forensic DNA Typing Protocols pp 43–53Cite as

Preservation of and DNA Extraction from Muscle Tissue

  • Protocol
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1420))

Abstract

As well as protecting DNA for subsequent analysis, tissue preservation methods ideally should be safe, readily available, and easy to transport at relatively low cost. Formalin (formaldehyde solution), used extensively to preserve medical and museum specimens, irreparably damages DNA. We have found four tissue preservatives (solid salt, salt-saturated dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)–EDTA solution, ethanol solution, and ethanol–EDTA solution) that preserved muscle tissue at 35 °C for up to 1 month: full short tandem repeat (STR) profiles were obtained after preservation. In addition, salt-saturated DMSO–EDTA solution yielded full STR profiles from aliquots of the liquid preservative surrounding muscle tissue.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Protocol
USD   49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Springer Nature is developing a new tool to find and evaluate Protocols. Learn more

References

  1. INTERPOL (2009) Disaster victim identification guide. INTERPOL, Lyon

    Google Scholar 

  2. Morgan OW, Sribanditmongkol P, Perera C et al (2006) Mass fatality management following the South Asian tsunami disaster: case studies in Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. PLoS Med 3(6):808–815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Tsokos M, Lessig R, Grundmann C et al (2006) Experiences in tsunami victim identification. Int J Leg Med 120(3):185–187

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Gilpin G (2009) Personal account from the ice—Inspector Gilpin. New Zealand Air Line Pilot’s Association. http://www.erebus.co.nz/TheAccident/TheRecoveryOperation/InspectorGilpinsAccount.aspx. Accessed 16 Feb 2016

  5. Prinz M, Carracedo A, Mayr WR et al (2007) DNA Commission of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG): recommendations regarding the role of forensic genetics for disaster victim identification (DVI). Forensic Sci Int Genet Suppl Series 1(1):3–12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Allen-Hall A, McNevin D (2013) Non-cryogenic forensic tissue preservation in the field: a review. Aust J Forensic Sci 45(4):450–460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Nagy ZT (2010) A hands-on overview of tissue preservation methods for molecular genetic analyses. Org Divers Evol 10(1):91–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Grassberger M, Stein C, Hanslik S et al (2005) Evaluation of a novel tagging and tissue preservation system for potential use in forensic sample collection. Forensic Sci Int 151(2–3):233–237

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Seutin G, White BN, Boag PT (1991) Preservatin of avian blood and tissue samples for DNA analysis. Can J Zool 69:82–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Giannakis C, Forbes IJ, Zalewski PD (1991) Ca2+/Mg2+-dependent nuclease: tissue distribution, relationship to inter-nucleosomal DNA fragmentation and inhibition by Zn2+. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 181(2):915–920

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Muralidharan K, Wemmer C (1994) Transporting and storing field-collected specimens for DNA without refrigeration for subsequent DNA extraction and analysis. Biotechniques 17(3):420, 422

    Google Scholar 

  12. Flournoy LE, Adams RP, Pandy RN (1996) Interim and archival preservation of plant specimens in alcohols for DNA studies. Biotechniques 20(4):657–660

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Stoughton RB, Fritsch W (1964) Influence of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) on human percutaneous absorption. Arch Dermatol 90:512

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Elfbaum SG, Laden K (1968) The effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on percutaneous absorption: a mechanistic study, part I. J Soc Cosmet Chem 19:119–127

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kilpatrick CW (2002) Noncryogenic preservation of mammalian tissues for DNA extraction: an assessment of storage methods. Biochem Genet 40(1–2):53–62

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Suzuki T, Ohsumi S, Makino K (1994) Mechanistic studies on depurination and apurinic site chain breakage in oligodeoxyribonucleotides. Nucleic Acids Res 22(23):4997–5003

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Lindahl T, Nyberg B (1972) Rate of depurination of native deoxyribonucleic acid. Biochemistry 11(19):3610–3618

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. DNA Genotek (2016) Superior samples—proven performance. DNA Genotek, Inc. http://www.dnagenotek.com/ROW/index.html. Accessed 16 Feb 2016

  19. Biomatrica (2016) DNAgard® tissue. Biomatrica. http://www.biomatrica.com/dnagardtissue.php. Accessed 16 Feb 2016

  20. Michaud CL, Foran DR (2011) Simplified field preservation of tissues for subsequent DNA analyses. J Forensic Sci 56(4):846–852

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Vignes R (2000) Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO): a “new” clean, unique, superior solvent. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  22. Sorensen A, Berry C, Bruce D et al (2015) Direct-to-PCR tissue preservation for DNA profiling. Int J Leg Med. doi:10.1007/s00414-015-1286-z

    Google Scholar 

  23. Whatman Ltd (2016) FTA elute sample collection cards. GE Healthcare Life Sci. http://www.gelifesciences.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/catalog/en/GELifeSciences-au/products/AlternativeProductStructure_18503. Accessed 16 Feb 2016

  24. Allen-Hall A, McNevin D (2012) Human tissue preservation for disaster victim identification (DVI) in tropical climates. Forensic Sci Int Genet 6(5):653–657

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Fregeau CJ, Vanstone H, Borys S et al (2001) AmpFℓSTR profiler plus and AmpFℓSTR COfiler analysis of tissues stored in GenoFix, a new tissue preservation solution for mass disaster DNA identification. J Forensic Sci 46(5):1180–1190

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Matthews WS, Bares JE, Bartmess JE et al (1975) Equilibrium acidities of carbon acids. VI. Establishment of an absolute scale of acidities in dimethyl sulfoxide solution. J Am Chem Soc 97(24):7006–7014

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author gratefully acknowledges funding from the Australian Federal Police Forensic and Data Centres. Collection of skeletal muscle tissues was generously facilitated by Associate Professor Paul Smith and Dr. Jennie Scarvell from the Trauma and Orthopaedic Research Unit (TORU), Canberra Hospital, Australia, and Ms. Maria Hartley, ACT Bone Bank, Canberra, Australia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Centre for Forensic Studies, Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

    Dennis McNevin

Authors
  1. Dennis McNevin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dennis McNevin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Forensic and Applied Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom

    William Goodwin

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

McNevin, D. (2016). Preservation of and DNA Extraction from Muscle Tissue. In: Goodwin, W. (eds) Forensic DNA Typing Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1420. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3597-0_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3597-0_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-3595-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-3597-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation