Covaris last week introduced a single-tube FFPE DNA extraction kit for high-yield, large molecular weight DNA extraction from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples.
The new product uses adaptive focused acoustic technology to emulsify and separate paraffin while simultaneously rehydrating the tissue sample in an aqueous solution in a few minutes. Covaris focused ultrasonicators enable purely mechanical processing of the samples, eliminating the need for organic solvents.
AFA technology is the standard method for DNA fragmentation for next-generation sequencing, Covaris said. An optional DNA fragmentation step can be included in the workflow to precisely size the DNA for applications requiring short fragments, such as NGS. This optional integrated single-tube DNA shearing streamlines sample preparation while doubling total DNA yield when compared to extraction without fragmentation, Covaris said.
Roche and Hamilton Robotics this week introduced an integrated platform enabling automated DNA sample enrichment for Roche's 454 GS Junior sequencer
The platform integrates Roche's REM e system with Hamilton's Microlab Nimbus NGS workstation, thus reducing hands-on time, minimizing operational variability, and providing more consistent results.
The platform has also been tested and validated to automate the emulsion PCR breaking, bead enrichment, and sequence primer annealing steps in the GS Junior sample prep workflow, the companies said.
Mo Bio Laboratories this week launched the PowerMag Seed and PowerPlant Pro-htp 96-Well DNA isolation kits for high-throughput purification of nucleic acids from seeds and plants.
The PowerMag Seed DNA isolation kit is the latest in Mo Bio's PowerMae line of kits for hands-free nucleic acid isolation using magnetic beads. The PowerPlant Pro-htp 96 Well DNA kit is a high-throughput version of the company's PowerPlant Pro DNA Isolation Kit for isolating high-quality DNA using silica spin filter technology.
Both kits feature bead-based lysis for uniform representation of the nucleic acid population; inhibitor removal technology for complete removal of PCR inhibitors commonly found in plants and seeds (for example, polysaccharides and polyphenolics) to eliminate false negatives in downstream applications such as qPCR; and phenolic separation solution, which breaks the bond between DNA and polyphenolics, increasing DNA yield in highly phenolic samples.