Isolation of nucleic acids on surfaces

Abstract

New processes and equipment to isolate and purify nucleic acids on surfaces are provided. The invention focuses on processes which use surfaces, for example, porous membranes, on which the nucleic acids are immobilized in a simple manner from the sample containing the nucleic acids and can be released again by way of simple procedural steps, whereby the simple performance of the process according to the invention makes it possible to perform the processes specifically in a fully automatic manner. An additional aspect of the present invention focuses on binding the nucleic acids to an immobile phase, especially to a membrane, in such a way and manner, that they can be released without difficulty during an additional reaction stage from this phase and, if desired, can be used in other applications, such as restriction digestion, RT, PCR or RT-PCR, or in any of the suitable analyses or enzyme reactions mentioned in the disclosure. Special isolation devices are provided that can be used to carry out the processes according to the invention.

1 . A process for analysis of nucleic acids inside an isolation container comprising the following steps:
 providing an isolation container with a membrane located therein;   charging the isolation container with at least one nucleic acid-containing sample;   immobilizing the nucleic acids on the membrane;   transferring the liquid components of the sample through the membrane; and   analyzing at least one property of the nucleic acid on the membrane located in the isolation container.   
   
   
       2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein, after transferring the liquid components through the membrane, at least one chemical reaction is performed with the nucleic acids. 
   
   
       3 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein the chemical reaction is a radioactive labeling of the nucleic acid. 
   
   
       4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the property analyzed is the binding capacity of the nucleic acids for molecules. 
   
   
       5 . The process according to  claim 4 , wherein the molecules are antibodies. 
   
   
       6 . The process according to  claim 4 , wherein the molecules are nucleic acid binding proteins. 
   
   
       7 . The process according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the molecules are dye molecules. 
   
   
       8 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one nucleic acid-containing sample is charged onto the top surface of said membrane. 
   
   
       9 . The process according to  claim 1 , which includes the additional steps of:
 releasing the amplification reaction products from the surface; and   removing the released amplification reaction products from the surface.   
   
   
       10 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps:
 releasing the immobilized nucleic acids from the membrane;   performing at least one chemical reaction with the nucleic acids; and   removing the nucleic acids from the membrane without additional immobilization.   
   
   
       11 . The process according to  claim 10 , wherein the chemical reaction is a nucleic acid amplification reaction. 
   
   
       12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the amplification reaction is not isothermal. 
   
   
       13 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the amplification reaction is isothermal. 
   
   
       14 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the nucleic acid amplification reaction is a Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA) reaction, a PCR, or a RT-PCR. 
   
   
       15 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein, prior to performing the amplification reaction, the nucleic acids are released from the membrane by means of a suitable reaction buffer and the eluate is located on or in the membrane. 
   
   
       16 . The process according to  claim 15 , comprising the additional step of:
 removing the released amplification reaction products from the membrane.   
   
   
       17 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the nucleic acid amplification reaction takes place in a reaction buffer that does not result in release of the nucleic acids from the membrane. 
   
   
       18 . The process according to  claim 17 , comprising the additional steps of:
 releasing the amplification reaction products from the membrane; and   removing the released amplification reaction products from the membrane.