Purification and concentration of DNA from aqueous solutions

This unit presents basic procedures for manipulating solutions of single- or double-stranded DNA through purification and concentration steps. The Basic Protocol, using phenol extraction and ethanol precipitation, is appropriate for the purification of DNA from small volumes (<0.4 ml) at concentrations <1 mg/ml. Isopropanol may also be used to precipitate DNA, as described in an alternate protocol. Three support protocols outline methods to buffer the phenol used in extractions, concentrate DNA using butanol, and extract residual organic solvents with ether. An alternative to these methods is nucleic acid purification using glass beads, and is described here. These protocol may also be used for purifying RNA. The final protocols provide modifications to the Basic Protocol that are used for concentrating RNA and extracting and precipitating DNA from larger volumes and from dilute solutions, and for removing ow-molecular-weight oligonucleotides and triphosphates.