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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

A Droplet-Based Microfluidic Approach and Microsphere-PCR Amplification for Single-Stranded DNA Amplicons
Published on: November 14, 2018
The use of carrier RNA to enhance DNA extraction from microfluidic-based silica monoliths
Kirsty J Shaw1, Lauren Thain, Peter T Docker
1Department of Chemistry, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
DNA extraction was carried out on silica-based monoliths within a microfluidic device. Solid-phase DNA extraction methodology was applied in which the DNA binds to silica in the presence of a chaotropic salt, such as guanidine hydrochloride, and is eluted in a low ionic strength solution, such as water. The addition of poly-A carrier RNA to the chaotropic salt solution resulted in a marked increase in the effective amount of DNA that could be recovered (25ng) compared to the absence of RNA (5ng) using the silica-based monolith. These findings confirm that techniques utilising nucleic acid carrier molecules can enhance DNA extraction methodologies in microfluidic applications.

