Increasing DNA isolation performance from blood cells using a modified commercial low-cost reagent

Abstract

Background: Genomic studies facilitate comprehension of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases. Such studies require sufficient and good quality DNA isolated from a large number of blood samples. This study attempts to obtain a high-quality genomic DNA isolated from a large number of blood samples using a simple and cheap method. Methods: The EasyPure® Genomic DNA Kit (Transgen Biotech) was modified to increase the amount of DNA recovery: a few steps and two additional column elutions were added to the original manufacturer´s procedure. Results: The amount of DNA isolated from frozen blood samples increased by an average of 56%. Its 260/280 ratio and electrophoretic mobility properties make it suitable for genomic studies. Conclusions: A relatively low-cost commercial column and a simple modification of the manufacturer´s protocol, provided a simple and cheap procedure to isolate high-quality DNA from a large number of blood samples suitable for genomic studies.