Residual eDNA in eRNA Extracts Skews eRNA-Based Biodiversity Assessment: Call for Optimised DNase Treatment.

ABSTRACT: Environmental RNA (eRNA) metabarcoding has rapidly emerged as a powerful tool for assessing contemporary biodiversity patterns across diverse ecosystems. However, the potential for false positive detections caused by co-extracted environmental DNA (eDNA) remains unquantified. Distinguishing true signals from false positives caused by residual eDNA is a technical challenge in eRNA-based metabarcoding. To address this issue, we employed a freshwater river receiving treated effluent from a wastewater treatment plant as a model system. In such settings, eDNA in the treated effluent can lead to the detection of non-local species (e.g., marine taxa). Treated effluent typically contains minimal or no eRNA, making it well-suited for evaluating the influence of eDNA carryover. By comparing DNase-tr

SUBMITTER: Wang F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12813962 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature