Abstract

For studying genetic diversity in populations of predatory coccinellid, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera), our attempts to isolate high quality DNA from individual adult beetle using several previously reported protocols and even modifications were quite unsuccessful as the insect size was small and was preserved at -20°C as dry specimen. Here we describe a simple, rapid and efficient method of isolating high-quality intact genomic DNA with reduced protein contamination for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification from a single, dry preserved specimen of adult Cryptolaemus.  The procedure features macerating and mixing the single adult specimen of Cryptoalemus with cationic detergent cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in the homogenization buffer, two chloroform-isoamylalcohol extractions and an alcohol precipitation. RNA contamination was eliminated with RNAse treatment.  The purity of DNA was high since the A₂₆₀/A₂₈₀ ratio ranged from 1.78 to 1.97.  The isolated DNA was used as template for PCR, and the results were evaluated by comparing with different preserved samples. 

Key words: Rapid isolation, quality DNA, dry preserved specimens, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri