RNA Isolation from Synechocystis

Abstract

The protocol describes the procedure of total RNA isolation from cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. This protocol is also applicable to Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 and PCC 6301, Thermosynechococcus vulcanus, and other unicellular and filamentous species of cyanobacteria that do not have thick polysaccharide-containing outer layers. For the latter, Trizol-containing protocols should be adapted. The yield of RNA depends on optical density of cyanobacterial culture and may reach up to 10-20 µg of total RNA per 1 ml of cell culture. RNA isolated by this method can be used for Northern blot hybridization, RT-qPCR, microarrays and Next Generation Sequencing.