The yields of nucleic acids and proteins extracted from various murine tissue types.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), and protein yields extracted from tissue of fourteen mouse organ types to establish baseline yield estimates for these biomolecules and provide guidance for tissue sample usage and storage in biomedical studies. METHODS: Six wild-type C57BL/6J and six BALB/c nude mice were euthanized and fresh tissues were collected for extracting total DNA, RNA, and protein. The concentration, purity, and quality of nucleic acids were measured with NanoDrop™ One spectrophotometer, gel electrophoresis or capillary electrophoresis. Protein concentration was determined using the bicinchoninic acid (BCA) method. RESULTS: DNA yields were highest in the colorectum and lowest in bone. RNA yields were highest in the colorectum and spleen of C57BL/6J and BALB/c nude mice, respectively, and lowest in bone. Protein yields were highest in the kidney and liver of C57BL/6J and BALB/c nude mice, respectively, and lowest in bone. The tissue quantities required to obtain 10 μg of DNA, 10 μg of RNA, and 1 mg of protein were calculated and presented along with corresponding tissue sizes. CONCLUSION: DNA, RNA, and protein yields varied significantly across different mouse tissue types. These findings provide a reference for estimating tissue sample sizes needed for downstream assays and optimizing the preservation of mouse tissues.