With this I am posting the responses (mainly the references I was given) I received for my question: "I need to extract DNA from fish specimens that have been in formol for 3 years to less than six months. If anyone has had success extracting DNA in such circumstances, I would extremely appreciate if you could share the protocol used" Cheers, Ella 1. Jingjing Li, Xianghua Liao, and Hong Yang. 2000. Molecular Characterization of a Parasitic Tapeworm (Ligula) Based on DNA Sequences from Formalin-Fixed Specimens. Biochemical Genetics, Vol. 38, Nos. 9/10,, 309-322 2. Selma O. Klanten, Lynne van Herwerden and J. Howard Choat. 2003. ACQUIRING REEF FISH DNA SEQUENCES FROM FORMALIN-FIXED MUSEUM SPECIMENS. BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 73(3): 771-776, 2003 3. Rosembaum et al. 1997. Mol. Ecol 6: 677-681, 4. Andrew M. Shedlock, MargoG. Haygood1, Theodore W. Pietsch and Paul Bentzen. 1997. Enhanced DNA Extraction and PCR Amplification of Mitochondrial Genes from Formalin- Fixed Museum Specimens. BioTechniques 22:394-400 5. Coombs et al. 1999. Nucleic Acid Research 27(16): e12- 6. Dear Ella, I extracted DNA from some paratypes that had been in formalin for a few weeks before being transferred to alcohol. I dissected out tissue - muscle, liver, spleen and then put the tissues through a series of 1/10 TE/alcohol soaks. I started with either 40% or 50% EtOH / 60% or 50% 1/10 TE and worked the EtOH up to 90% EtOH /10% 1/10 TE. I left the tissues in each for 24 hours. I think I may have done the first one twice. The DNA was degraded but I was able to get enough to amplify 400-500 bp pieces. Best, Peter Wimberger Professor, Biology University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA Ella Vázquez Domínguez Instituto de Ecología, UNAM Tel. (5255) 5622 9015 Ap. postal 70-275 Fax. (5255) 5616 1976 Ciudad Universitaria evazquez@ecologia.unam.mx México DF 04510 http://www.ecologia.unam.mx/academicos/vazquez/ella_contacto.htm evazquez@miranda.ecologia.unam.mx