Presence of RNase A Causes Aberrant DNA Band Shifts

Abstract

RNase A, which is routinely added during DNA purification to reduce contaminating RNA, causes shifting of DNA bands in agarose gels. DNA band sizes on agarose gels increase as much as 10%-20% when RNase A is present. The low concentrations of RNase A typically used to purify DNA cause shifting of select DNA bands, in contrast to higher concentrations of RNase A where all band are shifted and smeared. The binding of RNase A to the DNA is specific and the degree of the shift varies; not all DNA bands are retarded, and the deviation is more pronounced in certain buffers. Other proteins, such as bovine serum albumin or proteinase K, do not induce DNA band shift, suggesting the interaction is specific. The binding of RNase A to DNA is reversible. The formation of RNase:DNA complexes may affect experiments involving DNA:protein interactions such as gel shift, footprinting and filter binding assays. Researchers performing DNA characterization from miniprep protocols should be aware that RNase may cause the apparent sizes of DNA fragments to be altered and obscure the presence of very small cloned fragments.