Rapid isolation of both double-stranded RNA and PCR-suitable DNA from the obligate biotrophic phytopathogenic fungus Uncinula necator using a commercially available reagent.

A method for rapid extraction of both double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and DNA from an obligate biotrophic phytopathogenic fungus is described. Lyophilised fungal material is incubated in a commercial guanidium thiocyanate reagent. Proteins and cell debris are centrifuged by chloroform precipitation. After precipitation in isopropanol and washing in 75% ethanol, nucleic acids are resuspended in water (10 microl/mg fungal dry weight). DsRNA is directly visualised by agarose gel electrophoresis. DNA contained in 10-fold dilutions of the samples proved to be suitable for PCR-based experiments.