Isolation of nucleic acids

Abstract

A method for extracting nucleic acids from a biological material such as blood comprises contacting the mixture with a material at a pH such that the material is positively charged and will bind negatively charged nucleic acids and then eluting the nucleic acids at a pH when the said materials possess a neutral or negative charge to release the nucleic acids. The nucleic acids can be removed under mildly alkaline conditions to the maintain integrity of the nucleic acids and to allow retrieval of the nucleic acids in reagents that are immediately compatible with either storage or analytical testing.

1 . A single-container method for amplifying nucleic acids, wherein said method comprises: 
 contacting a lysate of a biological sample with a charge-switch material to bind nucleic acids of said lysate to said charge-switch material in said container;    removing unbound lysate material from said container; and    amplifying bound nucleic acids in said container.    
   
   
       2 . A single-container method for amplifying nucleic acids, wherein said method comprises: 
 contacting a lysate of a biological sample with a charge-switch material to bind nucleic acids of said lysate to said charge-switch material in said container;    removing unbound lysate material from said container;    releasing bound nucleic acids from said charge-switch material; and    amplifying released nucleic acids in said container.    
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said container is a tube or well.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said charge-switch material is immobilized onto or incorporated into a solid substrate.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said substrate is a bead, a particle, a tube, a well, a probe, a dipstick, a pipette tip, a slide, a fiber, a membrane, or a plastic.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said substrate is said container.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said bound nucleic acid molecule is amplified by PCR.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said sample is blood, serum, cells, tissue, bone, or plant.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said nucleic acids are plasmids or vectors.