Scientists collected airborne DNA using an airplane. An article about this was published in PeerJ Life and Environment.
In the past decade, biologists have excelled in a new technology – capturing DNA from the environment. Throughout life, DNA-containing material that can be isolated from water, surfaces, or air leaves the body on a regular basis. This technology has many applications, from detecting a criminal who leaves no fingerprints to exploring the biodiversity of an area.
Now, Kimberly Metris of Clemson University and her colleagues have tested a method of obtaining airborne DNA during an airplane flight. To do this, the study’s authors used a special probe with a filter. Through metagenomic sequencing, the researchers found a widespread presence of prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA in the atmosphere at an altitude of several kilometers in the southeastern United States. It was possible to isolate the DNA of a chicken, a cow and a human at all flight altitudes, including an altitude of 3 kilometers.
In addition, genomic analysis showed the presence of plant allergens from grasses and trees, as well as species that are not commonly found in the air, such as garlic. This material was at its highest point during the vertical mixing of air masses. We were also able to detect pathogenic bacteria, including those not previously found in the atmosphere but found in other extreme conditions, for example in deep-sea sediments.
The sterilizable reusable sampler used in the study has proven reliable by limiting sample loss and contamination when genetic material is filtered directly from the air. The authors hope that with their device, it will be possible to map the distribution of airborne DNA over large areas by acquiring large amounts of biome data.
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