Using metal nanoparticles (ZnO and Ag) to enhance DNA isolation and amplification

Abstract

Recently, there have been significant improvements in the methods used to isolate and purify genomic DNA. The implementation of high-throughput facilities has accelerated the advancement of technology, enabling more rapid and effective DNA processing than ever before. The study's goal was to develop a cost-effective and efficient technique to enhance the characterization of isolated DNA that is suitable for subsequent molecular downstream applications. The DNA used as study object obtained from suspensions of pathogenic bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and the Enterobacter cloacae complex (E. cloacae) using a manual salting out method. The method includes utilizing ZnO and Ag nanoparticles (Nps), to enhance isolation of genomic DNA. The study showed that using Nps at concentrations of 0.02 mg/ml for Ag and 0.004 mg/ml for ZnO led to better DNA quality and quantity compared to the control group without Nps, resulting in ideal outcomes. In addition, the presence of these Nps greatly increased the efficiency of PCR amplification for detecting the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of K. pneumoniae and E. cloacae. This resulted in the effective amplification of a 709 base pair segment in both type of Nps. The incorporation of nanoparticles technology into DNA extraction methods is in line with the current demands of the fast-progressing fields of molecular biology and biotechnology.