Differential decay of multiple environmental nucleic acid components.

ABSTRACT: Detections of environmental nucleic acids (eNA), such as DNA and RNA, are powerful tools for monitoring biodiversity. Yet, precise interpretation of these indirect detections requires understanding of eNAs persistence. We conducted a decay experiment to track degradation of six eNA components derived from the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus: mitochondrial eDNA of varying lengths, ribosomal eRNA, and messenger eRNA. Target eNAs were quantified over seven days via digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). Decay followed a biphasic exponential model with rapid initial loss (~ 24 h at 15 °C), followed by slower degradation. Mitochondrial messenger eRNA was least stable, disappearing within four hours. Ribosomal eRNA persisted longer but degraded slightly faster than its eDNA counterpart (decay rate λ

SUBMITTER: Brandao-Dias PF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12287283 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature