DNA preparation from a single fly


  1. grind the fly in 30 µl of buffer A
  2. spin for one minute
  3. remove the supernatant (contains RNA), suspend the pellet (with nuclei) in 200 µl buffer A
  4. spin for one minute, discard supernatant
  5. suspend the pellet in 18 µl of buffer B containing proteinase K
  6. add 2 µl 10% SDS, mix quickly
  7. incubate one hour at 37°C, (or longer, upto 4 h)
  8. add 3 µl 3 M NaCl
  9. add 10 µl phenol/chloroform, mix
  10. spin, transfer 20 µl to new tube
  11. add 50 µl ethanol, mix
  12. spin 5 min, wash pellet with 200 µl 70% ethanol
  13. briefly dry in speed-vac ( one minute)
  14. dissolve the pellet in 20 µl TE
  15. use 1 µl for PCR

After use treat the pestles with bleach. Rinse with water and store them.

buffer A:
30 mM Tris/HCl [pH 8], 100 mM NaCl,  19 mM EDTA, 0.5% Triton X-100
3.3 ml   3 M NaCl
3 ml 1M Tris/HCl [pH 8]
3.8 ml  0.5 M EDTA
2.5 ml  20% Triton
ad 100 ml   water

buffer B:
30 mM Tris/HCl [pH 8], 100 mM NaCl, 19 mM EDTA
3 ml  1 M Tris/HCl [pH 8]
3.3 ml  3 M NaCl
3.8 ml  0.5 M EDTA
ad 100 ml  water

buffer B with proteinase K
prior to use add 1 µl proteinase K (20 mg/ml) to 100 µl buffer B