Solid medium and process for the storage and rapid purification of nucleic acid

Abstract

A medium for storage and subsequent analysis of a genetic material includes a support for immobilizing the genetic material thereon and allowing subsequent elution of the genetic material therefrom and a coating functionally associated with the support for enabling cellular lysis and releasing the genetic material from the lysed cells while stabilizing the immobilized released genetic material. A method of storing the genetic material and subsequently analyzing the genetic material includes the steps of immobilizing the genetic material on a support while enabling cellular lysis and release of genetic material from the lysed cells and stabilizing the immobilized released genetic material on the support. The genetic material is then eluted to generate a soluble genetic material fraction. The eluted genetic material can be analyzed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of releasing genetic material from a support by eluting the genetic material from the support into solution in heated water at different temperatures to generate soluble populations of genetic material fractions at each temperature.  
     
     
         2 . A method as in    claim 1   , wherein said eluting step further includes:  
 heating the water containing the support having the genetic sample immobilized therein to varying temperatures in the range of 65° C. to 100° C.; and     releasing the heated genetic material from the heated support and into the water solution at each temperature.    
     
     
         3 . The method as in    claim 1    further including the step of washing the support having the genetic material immobilized therein prior to the eluting step.  
     
     
         4 . The method as in    claim 1    further including the steps of:  
 collecting a genetic material sample in a container containing the support;   
 contacting the support with the genetic material; and   
 conducting said immobilizing and eluting steps within the container.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method as in    claim 1    wherein the eluting step includes disposing the support having the genetic material therein into a container.  
     
     
         6 . The method as in    claim 1    wherein the eluting step includes disposing the support having the genetic material therein into a multi-well plate.  
     
     
         7 . The method as in    claim 1    wherein the eluting step includes disposing the support having the genetic material therein into a water bath.  
     
     
         8 . The method as in    claim 1    wherein said eluting step includes eluting genetic material from a support having a fiber matrix and a surfactant deposited onto the fiber matrix for protecting the genetic material, applied to the fiber matrix, from degradation.  
     
     
         9 . The method as in    claim 5    wherein eluting step further includes eluting genetic material from the fiber matrix having synthetic glass fibers and filaments.  
     
     
         10 . The method as in    claim 5    wherein the eluting step further includes eluting genetic material from the support having the surfactant that further includes an anionic detergent such as sodium dodecyl sulphate.  
     
     
         11 . The method as in    claim 1    wherein said method includes the step of analyzing the eluted populations of genetic material.  
     
     
         12 . The method as in    claim 8    wherein said analyzing step is further defined as amplifying the various populations of soluble genetic material and visualizing the amplified populations of genetic material.  
     
     
         13 . The method as in    claim 8    wherein said analyzing step is further defined as amplifying the various populations of soluble genetic material and labeling the amplified populations of genetic material with fluorescent probes.  
     
     
         14 . The method as in    claim 8    wherein said analyzing step is further defined as amplifying and fluorescently labeling various populations of genomic DNA in the solution thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The method as in    claim 8    wherein said analyzing step further includes the step of genetic genotyping.  
     
     
         16 . The method as in    claim 1    wherein the genetic material source is selected from the group consisting essentially of blood, saliva, sputum, and buccal epithelial cells.  
     
     
         17 . The method as in    claim 1    further including the steps of applying a genetic material sample to the support wherein the support is disposed within a spin basket of a spin microfuge device, spinning the basket, discarding a produced filter to perfect said immobilization steps and subsequently performing said eluting step.  
     
     
         18 . The method as in    claim 14    wherein said eluting step is further defined as adding heated water to the basket containing the support subsequent to said discarding step, spinning the basket and collecting the water containing the eluted nucleic acid therein.