Adebayo Liasu Ogunkanmi 1 *, Bola Oboh 1 , Bukola Onifade 2 , Adeniyi Adewale Ogunjobi 3 , Idowu Adewumi Taiwo 1 , Oluwatoyin Temitope Ogundipe 2 1 Cell Biology and Genetics Department, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, 2 Botany and Microbiology Department, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria 3 Botany and Microbiology Department University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria *Corresponding Author: bayogun2000@yahoo.com An improved method of extracting genomic DNA from preserved tissues of Capsicum annuum for PCR amplification Abstract In this study we present a method for the extraction of genomic DNA from the different tissues of the Pepper (Capsicum annuum). A standard protocol of Dellaporta was reviewed and modified for DNA extraction from the preserved tissues of the Capsicum sample which was believed to contain high level of polysaccharides. The modified protocol employed yielded a high quality DNA and was found to be suitable for PCR and RAPD analyses. The procedure was also found to be reliable and suitable where some materials are not available and does not require phenol-chloroform extraction. The method also allowed for the preservation of plant tissues for some days from a locality where storage facilities are not accessible. We also discovered that irrespective of the sources of tissues, a good quality DNA was obtained. The quantity of DNA produced from the fleshy mesocarp tissue was more than the quantity obtained from the seeds of the same weight, this is probably due to the hard nature of the seeds and there may have been no complete breakdown of the cell wall to release the cellular contents. Keywords: Capsicum, genomic, mesocarp, pepper, polysaccharides. Ogunkanmi AL, Oboh B, Onifade B, Ogunjobi AA, Taiwo IA, Ogundipe OT (2008) An improved method of extracting genomic DNA from preserved tissues of Capsicum annuum for PCR amplification. EurAsia J BioSci 2, 14, 115-119. www.ejobios.com/content/2/14/115-119 ©EurAsian Journal of BioSciences, 2008 115 EurAsian Journal of BioSciences EurAsia J BioSci 2, 115-119 (2008) Molecular techniques require isolation of genomic DNA of suitable purity. The growing number of DNA extraction protocols for specific plant species are not always simple and cannot be reproduced for all species (Porebski et al. 1997). Polysaccharide contamination is a common problem in higher plant DNA extraction. DNA samples are often contaminated with Melicera colloidal Lyalosome, which cannot be dissolved in water or TE buffer (Yun-Jiang et al. 2003). Plant contaminants like polysaccharides and phenolic compounds are difficult to separate from DNA and are readily identified as they impart a sticky gelatinous brown color to the DNA isolated and interfere with polymerases, ligases and restriction enzymes (Fang et al. 1992, Michard et al. 1995, Porebski et al. 1997, Csaikl et al. 1998, Tribouch et al. 1998, Belletti et al. 1998, Schlink and Reski, 2002). These contaminants are in abundance in the foliage of perennials, and they co-extract with the DNA (Scott and Playford 1996, Shephered et al. 2002, Bhattarcharjee et al. 2004). DNA extraction becomes more difficult when working with perennials or tree plant species. Several factors are known to limit the isolation of pure DNA from such species that are rich in impurities; such as terpernes, polyphenols, and polysaccharides. Such factors include the amount of tissue available, the condition of the plant material, the numbers of steps involved in the extraction procedure and the required purity level (Helen Received : August, 2008 Accepted : December, 2008 Printed : December, 2008 INTRODUCTION Research Note