Automated Purification of DNA from Large Samples: A Study of Effectiveness and Labor Efficiency

Abstract

I nvestigations into the underlying genetic contributions to human disease are transitioning from small family-based traditional linkage analyses to large population-based studies designed to identify genetic factors in more complex and common diseases that have the greatest impact on human health. These types of studies have driven the need for larger numbers of samples for analysis and more efficient and effective methods for DNA purification, especially for large samples that provide sufficient quantities of DNA for extensive analysis. The AUTOPURE LS ™ Nucleic Acid Purification Instrument, by Gentra Systems, Inc., a platform capable of high-throughput sample purification from large samples, was developed to meet the demands of these large studies. This article presents data demonstrating the equivalency of DNA purified using the AUTOPURE LS automated instrument and the manual method based on the same purification process. In addition, we present data demonstrating the in-lab time savings realized by automating the purification process.

Liquid-Handling Robotic Workstations for Functional Genomics

“…These tasks are well performed by molecular biological workstations, which are capable to accommodate special equipment such as vacuum manifolds, magnetic separators, shakers, incubators or indexed centrifuges on, beneath or under the work deck. Examples for genomics specific tasks reported in the literature include identification and picking of colonies, 15 purification of DNA from large samples, 16 automated sample-preparation technologies in genome sequencing projects, 17 high throughput probe production for DNA microarrays, 18 plasmid purification, 19 high throughput DNA extraction methods for PCR, 20 automated cycle sequencing, 21 purification of BigDye Terminator fluorescent DNA sequencing reaction, 22 purification of PCR products, 23 automated agarose gel electrophoresis, 24 high throughput RNA purification, 25,26 and printing of microarrays using liquid-handling robots. 27 However, some tasks are difficult to automate at all, such as initial sample (e.g.…”