Procedure
Optimized buffers and enzymes lyse samples, stabilize nucleic acids, and enhance selective DNA adsorption to the QIAamp membrane. Alcohol is added and lysates loaded onto the QIAamp spin column. Wash buffers are used to remove impurities and pure, ready-to-use DNA is then eluted in water or low-salt buffer.
No mechanical homogenization is necessary as the tissues are lysed enzymatically, and the convenient spin-column procedure means that hands-on preparation time is only 20 minutes (lysis times differ according to the sample source). Samples can be processed using either a microcentrifuge or, if blood or other body fluids are being processed, using the QIAvac 24 Plus or QIAvac 6S vacuum manifold. In addition, the rigorous lysis procedure employed makes the QIAamp DNA Mini Kit ideal for purification of genomic DNA from bacteria or parasites. To further reduce hands-on time, genomic DNA purification may be automated on the QIAcube.