Mitochondrial DNA of the Thatching Ant, Formica obscuripes

Abstract

In a continuing attempt to purify mitochondrial DNA from the thatching ant, modifications were made to a previously developed extraction procedure. Although mitochondria were highly enriched in a subcellular fraction derived from the heads of the ants, when DNA purified from the fraction by an alkaline lysis procedure was electrophoresed, inconsistent results were obtained. Bands in the gel show a molecule larger than 22 kilobase pairs, which is not expected of mtDNA.