Phenol extraction is a laboratory technique that purifies

nucleic acid Nucleic acids are large biomolecules that are crucial in all cells and viruses. They are composed of nucleotides, which are the monomer components: a pentose, 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. The two main classes of nuclei ...

samples using a

phenol Phenol (also known as carbolic acid, phenolic acid, or benzenol) is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a white crystalline solid that is volatile and can catch fire. The molecule consists of a phenyl group () ...

solution. Phenol is common reagent in extraction because its properties allow for effective nucleic acid extraction, particularly as it strongly denatures proteins, it is a nucleic acid preservative, and it is immiscible in water. It may also refer to the process of extracting and isolating

phenols In organic chemistry, phenols, sometimes called phenolics, are a class of chemical compounds consisting of one or more hydroxyl groups (− O H) bonded directly to an aromatic hydrocarbon group. The simplest is phenol, . Phenolic compounds ar ...

from raw materials such as

coal tar Coal tar is a thick dark liquid which is a by-product of the production of coke and coal gas from coal. It is a type of creosote. It has both medical and industrial uses. Medicinally it is a topical medication applied to skin to treat psoria ...

. These purified phenols are used in many industrial and medical compounds and are used as precursors in some synthesis reactions.

Phenol extraction of nucleic acids

Phenol extraction is a widely used technique for purifying

samples from

cell Cell most often refers to: * Cell (biology), the functional basic unit of life * Cellphone, a phone connected to a cellular network * Clandestine cell, a penetration-resistant form of a secret or outlawed organization * Electrochemical cell, a de ...

lysates. To obtain

nucleic acids Nucleic acids are large biomolecules that are crucial in all cells and viruses. They are composed of nucleotides, which are the monomer components: a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. The two main classes of nucleic a ...

, the cell must be lysed, and the nucleic acids separated from other cell components. Phenol is a polar substance with a higher

density Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the ratio of a substance's mass to its volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' (or ''d'') can also be u ...

than water (1.07 g/cm³ compared to water's 1.00 g/cm³). When suspended in a water-phenol solution, denatured proteins and unwanted cell components dissolve in the phenol, while polar nucleic acids dissolve in the water phase. The solution may then be centrifuged to separate the phenol and water into distinct organic and

aqueous An aqueous solution is a solution in which the solvent is water. It is mostly shown in chemical equations by appending (aq) to the relevant chemical formula. For example, a solution of table salt, also known as sodium chloride (NaCl), in wat ...

phases. Purified nucleic acids can be precipitated from the aqueous phase of the solution. Phenol is often used in combination with chloroform. Adding an equal volume of

chloroform Chloroform, or trichloromethane (often abbreviated as TCM), is an organochloride with the formula and a common solvent. It is a volatile, colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid produced on a large scale as a precursor to refrigerants and po ...

and phenol ensures a distinct separation between the aqueous and organic phases. Chloroform and phenol are

miscible Miscibility () is the property of two substances to mix in all proportions (that is, to fully dissolve in each other at any concentration), forming a homogeneous mixture (a solution). Such substances are said to be miscible (etymologically ...

and create a denser solution than phenol alone, aiding the separation of the organic and aqueous layers. This addition of chloroform is useful when removing the aqueous phase to obtain a purified nucleic acid sample. The pH of the solution must be adjusted specifically for each type of extraction. For

DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...

extraction, the pH is adjusted to 7.0–8.0. For

RNA Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule that is essential for most biological functions, either by performing the function itself (non-coding RNA) or by forming a template for the production of proteins (messenger RNA). RNA and deoxyrib ...

-specific extraction, the pH is adjusted to 4.5. At pH 4.5, hydrogen ions neutralize the negative charges on the phosphate groups, causing DNA to dissolve in the organic phase while allowing RNA to be isolated separately in the aqueous phase.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Physiology.med.cornell.edu
Molecular biology

Phenol extraction of nucleic acids

See also

References

External links