Ambion has recently introduced the MessageAmp II bacterial kit, which enables whole genome expression analysis from limited bacterial samples.
According to the company, by amplifying RNA, microarray analyses can be performed with the MessageAmp II kit with up to 500-fold less starting material. The kit can be used with any bacterial species and is compatible with purified total RNA, bacterial mRNA enriched using Ambion’s MicrobExpress kit, or bacterial RNA enriched from host cell mixtures with the MicrobEnrich kit.
Details about the kit can be found at http://www.ambion.com/catalog/CatNum.php?1790.
Ambion has also introduced the MagMax-96 Total RNA isolation kit, which allows for the isolation of intact total RNA from 100 to 100,000 cells or .1 mg to 5 mg of tissue.
According to the company, samples are lysed in a high concentration guanidinium solution. Cellular debris and proteins are removed with the supernatant after pelleting the magnetic beads.
DNase I is added to digest genomic DNA, and the RNA is then rebound to the magnetic beads. Degraded DNA and DNase I are removed with the supernatant. Total RNA is eluted with either elution buffer or nuclease free water after three washes.
Details about this kit can be found at http://www.ambion.com/catalog/CatNum.php?1830.
Finally, Ambion has launched the MagMax Viral RNA isolation kit, which is optimized for use with biological fluids and cell-free samples such as serum, plasma, swabs, and cell culture media.
The kit requires no organic solvents or RNA precipitation and eliminates the problems often encountered with filter-based methods, such as clogging, large elution volumes and inconsistent yields, said Ambion.
Details on this kit can be found at http://www.ambion.com/catalog/CatNum.php?1929.