Nucleic acid purification method and kit

摘要

A process for separating and/or purifying a nucleic acid in a sample by elution of the nucleic acid from anion exchange resins under conditions of high salt concentration and the presence in the eluant of an additive comprising guanidine, or a guanidine-like derivative. This derivative may be a guanidine salt such as the carbonate or bicarbonate, or arginine. The additive may be present at a concentration of between 0.1M and 2M and the elution buffer may have a pH between 10 and 13. The nucleic acid may be genomic or plasmid DNA or RNA. A kit for the separation or purification of the nucleic acid from a cellular sample is claimed. The process allows high recovery of nucleic acids from anion exchange resins without impairing the nucleic acid stability as compared with conventional ion exchange chromatographic procedures.