https://mpsciences.com/2021/04/01/types-of-science-products-available/
DNA purification is a step in the sample preparation workflow that eliminates enzymes, salts and other contaminants from lysed samples and PCR products before subsequent applications like cloning and sequencing. It also removes unwanted PCR-induced adversities like primer dimers and nucleotides not integrated. DNA purification in molecular biological research is a critical step that requires careful planning to achieve reliable, high-quality results.
Purifying DNA can be accomplished in various ways. Traditional DNA isolation techniques involve various steps like leukocyte isolation or red blood cell lysis to eliminate heme proteins that inhibit the PCR reaction, deproteinization, treatment with RNAse, ethanol as well as isopropanol precipitation and finally DNA elution. The majority of these protocols require specially designed equipment, like an electrophoresis device and biosafety cabinets due to the dangers of intercalating dyes in the electrophoresis gel.
Other methods of DNA purification use spin columns or 96-well filter plates to separate out contaminants by adhering them to the surface of the plate or column. These techniques can be very demanding, especially when working with large amounts of samples or when the columns need to be filled manually with new agents.
Dipsticks cut down the number of sample processing steps from six to three. They bind nucleic acids using waxy cellulose-based materials and release them once water is present. This approach is particularly useful in low-resource areas, like remote field sites as well as teaching laboratories. Its simplicity (30 s per sample) makes it ideal for molecular diagnostic tests such as disease detection and genotype screening.