What is the difference between animal and plant DNA extraction?

Answer 1

Plant DNA extraction

Plant genomic DNA is more difficult to extract because of the plant's cell wall, which is removed by homogenization, or by adding cellulase to degrade the cellulose that makes up the cell wall. Also, the metabolites present in the plant cell may interfere with genomic DNA extraction by contaminating the DNA sample during the precipitation process.

Animal DNA Extraction

Peripheral blood leukocytes are a main source of animal genomic DNA, but sample collection is difficult as blood must be withdrawn from the animal. Blood contains a range of compounds like proteins, lipids, white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, and plasma, which can contaminate the DNA sample. The primary contaminant of animal DNA extracted from blood samples is heme, the non-protein component of hemoglobin.

Differences

The differences between plant and animal DNA lie in the sequence of bases in the helix. Compounds found in plant cells are absent in animal cells, and DNA base sequences reflect this, as the genomic plant DNA is often larger than animal DNA. These differences affect extraction methods, as it impacts on yield and purity of DNA.