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Enzymatic reaction cleanups- Columns or Phenol-chloroform extraction? - (Nov/15/2007 )

Is the recovery of DNA following a enzymatic reaction (eg. ligation, restriction enzyme digest, etc) efficient using commercial spin column kits (eg Qiaquick) compared to the phenol-chloroform extraction and alc ppt? I am thinking of ways of spending up a protocol but wonder if this will be at the expense of lower DNA yield.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

-timpanister-

After restriction enzyme digest or PCR, we usually run the DNA on gel and purify through a column. You have to anticipate a loss of 10% of DNA normally unless you have a bad column where you might lose most of the DNA. This usually happens with 1-2 columns in an entire kit.

After ligation, we transform the mixture so there is no need to purify DNA.

-scolix-

QUOTE (scolix @ Nov 16 2007, 03:41 PM)
After restriction enzyme digest or PCR, we usually run the DNA on gel and purify through a column. You have to anticipate a loss of 10% of DNA normally unless you have a bad column where you might lose most of the DNA. This usually happens with 1-2 columns in an entire kit.

After ligation, we transform the mixture so there is no need to purify DNA.


I normally use these columns too for cleaning up reactions and gel extraction. There is an article on improving yields with these kits at bitesize bio.


And I also agree with Scolix that it is not necessary to purify a ligation - just go straight to the transformation.

-bitesizebio guy-