Nanoparticles for Manipulation of Biopolymers

Abstract

Materials and methods for manipulation of biopolymers, including the separation, purification, immobilization, and archival storage of biopolymers is disclosed.

1 . A method of isolating nucleic acids from a sample comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a plurality of solid-phase, non-porous particles having a surface area to volume ratio greater than about 10, a density greater than about 2, and sedimentation rates in water where Vmin is greater than about 0.1 cm/min at 10,000 G and Vmax is less than about 2 cm/min at 500 G at standard temperature and pressures, wherein the particles form a colloidal suspensions in aqueous solution;   b) surface-modifying the particles to alter their affinity for one or more classes of nucleic acids, wherein the step of surface-modifying the particles further comprises activating the particles, passivating the particles, or combinations thereof;   c) incubating the sample with the surface-modified particles, thereby forming a plurality of surface-modified particle-nucleic acid complexes; wherein the formation of the surface-modified particle-nucleic acid complexes is reversible;   d) separating the surface-modified particle-nucleic acid complexes from the sample; and   e) storing the separated surface-modified particle-nucleic acid complexes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 f) disassociating the surface-modified particle-nucleic acid complexes thereby releasing the nucleic acid from the surface-modified particle; and 
 g) isolating the nucleic acid.