Nucleic acid archiving

Abstract

This invention is directed to a process for tightly binding nucleic acid to solid phase and corresponding processes for the utilization thereof. Nucleic acid is bound to solid phase matrices exhibiting sufficient hydrophilicity and electropositivity to tightly bind the nucleic acids from a sample. These processes include nucleic acid (double or single stranded DNA and RNA) capture from high volume and/or low concentration specimens, buffer changes, washes, and volume reductions, and enable the interface of solid phase bound nucleic acid with enzyme, hybridization or amplification strategies. The tightly bound nucleic acid may be used, for example, in repeated analyses to confirm results or test additional genes in both research and commercial applications. Further, a method is described for virus extraction, purification, and solid phase amplification from large volume plasma specimens.

1 . A method for archiving nucleic acid, comprising:
 a) contacting a sample containing said nucleic acid with a solid phase matrix under conditions that allow said nucleic acid to become tightly bound to said matrix, wherein said matrix is a specific binding material having one or more electropositive materials rendered hydrophilic, said electropositive material comprising elements selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, vanadium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, boron, gallium, indium, germanium, tin, and lead; and   b) storing said tightly bound nucleic acid on said solid phase matrix.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said matrix is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, titanium oxide (Ti 2 O 3 ), and modified zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said matrix is selected from the group consisting of alpha aluminum oxide, gamma aluminum oxide and an aluminum oxide thin-film of mixed composition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said matrix is Ti 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said matrix is modified ZrO 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid is selected from the group consisting of double stranded DNA, single stranded DNA, RNA, or PNA. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid is double stranded DNA, and step (a) further comprises adding a buffer that allows said DNA to be bound to said matrix as single stranded DNA. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said buffer is selected from the group consisting of guanidine thiocyanate-based buffers, alkaline buffers, lithium chloride, and detergent based buffers. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sample contains both DNA and RNA, and step (a) is performed under conditions wherein said matrix exclusively binds said DNA. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said conditions comprise adding to said sample a buffer selected from the group consisting of guanidine thiocyanate-based buffers, alkaline buffers, lithium chloride, and detergent based buffers prior to contacting said sample with said solid phase matrix. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said conditions comprise adding to said solid phase matrix a buffer selected from the group consisting of guanidine thiocyanate-based buffers, alkaline buffers, lithium chloride, and detergent based buffers prior to contacting said sample with said solid phase matrix. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sample contains both DNA and RNA, and step (a) is performed under conditions wherein said matrix exclusively binds said RNA. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said conditions comprise adding a DNA degrading reagent to said sample prior to contacting said sample with said solid phase matrix. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said DNA degrading reagent is DNAse. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sample is selected from the group consisting of blood, stool, sputum, mucus, cervical fluid, vaginal fluid, cerebral spinal fluid, serum, urine, saliva, teardrop, biopsy samples, histological tissues, tissue culture products, bacterial cultures, swabs, agricultural products, environmental samples, waste water, drinking water, foodstuff, and air. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said solid phase matrix is coated on the surface of a substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said substrate is a glass or polymeric material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said substrate is in the shape of tubes, plates, membranes, capillaries, slides, beads, microparticles, fibers, microchannels, and microarrays.