Technical note: improved ancient DNA purification for PCR using ion-exchange columns

Abstract

A novel method of ancient DNA (aDNA) purification was developed using ion-exchange columns to improve PCR-amplifiable DNA extraction from ancient bone samples. Thirteen PCR-resistant ancient bone samples aged 500-3,300 years were tested to extract aDNA using a recently reported, silica-based aDNA extraction method and an ion-exchange column method for the further purification. The PCR success rates of the aDNA extracts were evaluated for the amplification ability of the fragments of mitochondrial DNA, a high-copy DNA, and amelogenin, a low-copy DNA. The results demonstrate that the further purification of silica-based aDNA extracts using ion-exchange columns considerably improved PCR amplification. We suggest that the ion-exchange column-based method will be useful for the improvement of PCR-amplifiable aDNA extraction, particularly from the poorly preserved, PCR-resistant, ancient samples.