Automated Nucleic Acid Purification

Nucleic acid purification is a critical step in many downstream applications. Isolation of genomic DNA, plasmid DNA, mRNA, and total RNA is conducted in clinical, research, forensic and diagnostic labs for many applications such as PCR, sequencing, microarray and cloning. As critical turnaround time can be compromised by volume, automation of purification can be the remedy for an overwhelmed laboratory. Purification kits come specifically designed with reagents and disposables that can be adapted to a variety of automated systems. Features to look for in kits are compatibility with a variety of downstream analysis tools (PCR, qPCR, SNP genotyping, sequencing) and a variety of sample type (swabs, tissue, food, paraffin embedded tissue, urine, blood or water samples). Factors to consider include sample type, genome size, and volume. Features to look for in systems are integration with laboratory information management systems, full start-to-finish automation, error control, and safeguards against contamination.