Nucleic Acid Extraction

Nucleic Acid Purification

Nucleic acid (NA) analysis has become a routine for biologists who are always busy and have only limited time. Facing with more and more NA samples, they want to faster and better analytical techniques. Sample preparation is a major part of all NA analysis. A typical SPE requires 3-4 steps and at least 20 min to complete and are not suitable for automation and high throughput. The filtration process developed by Biomics addresses the rapidness issue and delivers unprecedented fast results of obtaining NA in less than 1 min. The restricted dynamic SPE (red-SPE) process focus on lower cost, high throughput and automation of the SPE process. Since NA extraction is the first step, it affects all NA assays including genetic analysis, DNA sequencing, and in vitro diagnosis (IVD), etc.

Selection Guide

The following is a general guideline for your selection of NA purification products:

Characteristics of NA Extraction Methods

Both NA-Filters and NA-red-Tips are advantageous over the current mb-SPE and sc-SPE methods as well as the traditional LLE technolgoy.

Featured Products

The patented NA-FILTER^TM and NA-red-Tips are first launched by Biomics, which specializes in the development of various sample preparation technologies. It offers significant advantages over the current magnetic beads and silica spin column methods.

1. Nucleic acid extraction by Filtration: NA-FILTER^TM

The patented NA-FILTER^TM is a series of innovative products developed by Biomics Inc. to speed up the process of nucleic acid (NA) purification. It allows the users to obtain NA by directly pass (NADP) the filtration membrane in less than 1 min for most of the samples for subsequent PCR amplification (See Protocol: NADP-01).

Depending on specific applications, it may be necessary to make certain modifications of the NADP process and to use the enhanced versions (NADP⁺) of the NA-FILTER^TM to achieve specific goals (See Protocol: NADP-02):

1) NA-Filter + silica: By adding silica, NA can be purified through the NADP process with higher concentration and more purity. There are four different ways of achieving this objective with all of them having the advantage of less contamination.

(1) NADP⁺: Adding a silica embedded membrane underneath the filtration membrane to mimic the traditional SPE column.

(2) NADP^+P: Adding silica packing materials directly underneath the filtration membrane to capture more NA.

(3) NADP⁺²: Include a separate silica membrane SPE to the NA-Filter for a set.

(4) NADP^+2P: Include a separate silica packing SPE to the NA-Filter for a set.

2) NA-Filter+ Carbon: By adding carbon, NA from plant can be purified without the interference of chlorophyll.

NA-Filters can be made in multiple formats: 1) Spin Columns, 2) Syringes, 3) Plates, and 4) Large Centrifuge Columns.

There are two formats for the 2 ml spin columns and large centrifuge columns with one having the flat bottom while the other having cone bottom with no difference between them in terms of applications. The syringe and plate formats can be conveniently applied using most of the SPE infrastructures in the lab. The syringe format can also be used for point-of-care (POC).

2. Nucleic acid extraction by Restrictive Dynamic Solid Phase Extraction (SPE): Tips

The NA-red-Tips^TM is a trademark for a new class of new products that were developed based on a patented new NA extraction process called restrictive dynamic SPE. In this process, specially selected silica particles are placed inside the pipet tips with the end being sealed with proper filters. NA will be absorbed onto the silica packing materials which are restricted inside the open space within the pipet tips.

The basic principle is the same as another form of SPE, magnetic beads. However, the NA-red-Tips^TM offers significant advantages over magnetic beads in easiness of operation, automation and throughput.