What are the challenges faced during the process of nucleic acid extraction?
The extraction of nucleic acids faces two major challenges. First, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) are present in very small amounts in cells compared to other biological macromolecules like proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.
Second, the enormous length of nucleic acids makes them susceptible to cleavage when exposed to harsh physical stress. Additionally, the chemical bonds joining different components of nucleic acids make them vulnerable to chemical agents.
For RNA specifically, ribonucleases (RNases) are abundant in the environment and are difficult to remove or destroy completely, making it difficult to isolate intact RNA.
Explanation
The textbook clearly outlines the challenges in Section 3.2 'Isolation of Nucleic Acids'. The two big challenges are: (1) low availability - nucleic acids are present in very small amounts compared to proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, and (2) the enormous length makes them susceptible to physical cleavage. Additional challenges include vulnerability to chemical agents due to their chemical bonds, and for RNA specifically, the abundance of RNases in the environment makes isolation of intact RNA difficult.