The initial procedure for all downstream molecular biology applications is nucleic acid extraction. After a targeted organism’s DNA or RNA has been extracted, a variety of standard molecular genetic assays and studies are carried out. DNA/RNA isolation often entails the breakdown of the cell membrane and cell wall, the deactivation of nuclease activity, the removal of proteins, the concentration of nucleic acids, and the proper preservation of the extracted DNA/RNA.
Extraction is composed of 4 main steps named as; lysis (release of DNA by degrading the cells and the structures bound to membrane, separation, and denaturation of the proteins from DNA/RNA), binding (binding of DNA/RNA on a surface), washing (removal of unwanted contaminants such as salt, protein, etc.) and elution (recovery of DNA/RNA from the surface-bound).
Anatolia offers several automated nucleic acid extraction systems operating on the magnetic-bead extraction method. Magnetic extraction technology is based on the separation of magnetic particle-bound DNA/RNA from cell components with the help of a magnet. The separation procedure, in which the magnetic particles are used as solid support, is an effective method adaptable to automated systems. It is faster and simpler compared to other methods. This method enables the ease of DNA/RNA extraction on a large scale. After the sample is treated with lysis solutions and proteinase enzyme and the DNA/RNA move out of the cell, free DNA/RNA is bound to the suitable carriers-magnetic particles and forms a magnetic complex. The removal of the undesired, bound contaminants is performed by washing the magnetic complex. In the last step, the DNA/RNA is eluted from the magnetic complex and stored for other downstream applications.
