DNA purification is one of the steps in the sample preparation workflow. It removes salts and enzymes from samples that have been lysed, or PCR products, before cloning and sequencing. It also removes unwanted PCR artifacts such as nucleotides bo finneman with no incorporation. DNA purification is an essential stage in molecular biological research that requires careful planning to ensure top-quality, reliable results.
The process of purifying DNA can be accomplished by a variety of methods. The standard DNA isolation techniques include many steps, including leukocyte separation or red blood cell lysis, to eliminate inhibitors of heme proteins of the PCR reaction. They also include deproteinization, RNAse treatment and precipitation with isopropanol and ethanol, and finally DNA elimination. The majority of these procedures require specific equipment, such as an electrophoresis device and a biosafety cabinet due to the dangers of intercalating dyes in the electrophoresis gel.
Other DNA purification methods use spin columns or plates that filter 96-wells to separate out contaminated particle by adsorbing to the surface. These methods can be quite time-consuming, particularly when dealing with large quantities of samples or when the columns have to be manually filled with new agents.
Dipsticks drastically reduce the number of steps involved in processing samples to only three. They bind nucleic Acid using a waxy cellulose-based material and then release them when water is present. This method is particularly beneficial for low-resource settings like remote sites and teaching labs. Its simplicity (30 s per sample) is ideal for molecular diagnostic tests such as those for disease detection and genotype screening.