I need to get DNA extracts from RNALater preserved ants. Since the ants are very small (and I cannot pool them since I need the individual information) I tried to perform Chelex extractions. Subsequent PCRs are not working very well.
This extraction/PCR protocol is usually working on this ant species but with alcohol-preserved samples.
I am now left with the following question: are my poor results due to a poor DNA yield/quality due to some weird Chelex-RNALater interaction?
And subsequently : is there something I can do to improve my results?