DNA purification is an important step in the sample preparation workflow that eliminates enzymes, salts and other contaminants from lysed samples or PCR products prior to subsequent applications such as cloning or sequencing. It also removes unwanted PCR artifacts such as primer dimers and nucleotides not integrated. DNA purification in molecular biological research is an essential step that requires careful planning to achieve quality, reliable results.
Purifying DNA can be accomplished in several ways. The standard DNA isolation techniques comprise a variety of steps, such as leukocyte separation or red blood cell lysis to eliminate inhibitors of heme proteins of the PCR reaction. They also include deproteinization, RNAse treatment as well as precipitation with isopropanol and ethanol, and finally DNA elution. Most of these protocols require special equipment like an electrophoresis system and biosafety cabinets because of the dangerous intercalating dyes used in the gel electrophoresis.
Other DNA purification methods use spin columns or plates with 96 wells that separate the contaminated particles by adsorbing to the surface. These methods can be quite time consuming, especially when dealing with large quantities of samples or when the columns need to be manually filled with fresh chemicals.
Dipsticks cut down the number of sample processing steps from six to three. They bind nucleic acid using a waxy cellulose-based material and release them once water is present. This method is particularly beneficial in settings with limited resources, such as remote sites and teaching labs. Its simplicity (30 s per sample) is ideal for diagnostic molecular tests such as disease detection and genotype screening.
