Today I extracted DNA from the Porites astreoides samples I collected back in May. The samples consisted of a single coral colony that I relocated from the lagoon to the backreef, and I sampled the coral on the day of transplantion (t = 0) and three days later (t = 3). The samples were kept under refrigeration in ethanol. I extracted the DNA using DNAzol.

The DNAzol protocol was as follows:

1. The surface layer of each coral core was scraped with a razor blade and the tissue/skeletal material was homogenized with a sterile plastic pestle in a microfuge tube with 0.5 ml DNAzol.

2. The homogenate was sedimented by centrifugation at 10,000 x g for 10 min. The supernatant was then transferred to a new tube.

3. DNA was precipitated by the addition of 0.25 ml 100% ethanol. Samples were mixed by inversion and I was able to spool the DNA and transfer to a new tube.

4. DNA was washed twice with 1 ml 75% ethanol. A quick spin was used each time to pellet the DNA before removing the supernatant.

5. Samples were stored under refrigeration in 95% ethanol.