DNA purification is a crucial step in the process of preparing samples. It removes enzymes and salts from the lysed samples or PCR products prior to the cloning and sequencing process. It also eliminates unwanted PCR-induced artefacts such as primer dimers and nucleotides not integrated. DNA purification is a critical stage in molecular biological research that requires careful planning in order to obtain top-quality, reliable results.
Purifying DNA can be accomplished in several ways. Traditional methods for DNA isolation involve various steps like leukocyte isolation or red blood cell lysis to remove heme proteins that inhibit https://mpsciences.com/2021/04/15/gene-synthesis-and-transcription-processes/ the PCR reaction, deproteinization, treatment of RNAse, ethanol and isopropanol precipitation and finally DNA elimination. Most of these protocols require the use of specially designed equipment, like an electrophoresis device and a biosafety cabinet because of the dangers of intercalating dyes in the gel electrophoresis.
Other methods for purifying DNA use spin columns or 96 well filter plates to remove contaminated particles by adsorbing them to the surface of the column or plate. These methods can be time-consuming, especially if you are working with lots of samples or if the columns need to be manually refilled.
Dipsticks reduce the number sample processing steps from six to three. They bind nucleic acid using waxy cellulose-based materials and release them when water is present. This method is particularly effective in low-resource settings, such as remote locations and teaching labs. Its simplicity (30 s per sample) is ideal for diagnostic molecular tests such as disease detection and genotype screening.
