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From 2010.igem.org

Qiagen gel extraction

This protocol is based on QIAGEN® Gel Extraction Handbook.

Materials:

- QIAquick columns

- buffer QG

- buffer PE

- isopropanol

- milliQ

- microcentrifuge

- heat block at 50 °C

Protocol:

1. Excise the DNA fragment from the agarose gel with a clean, sharp scalpel. Minimize the size of the gel slice by removing extra agarose.

2. Weigh the gel slice in a colorless tube. Add 3 volumes of Buffer QG to 1 volume of gel (100 mg ~ 100 μL). For >2% agarose gels, add 6 volumes of Buffer QG. The maximum amount of gel slice per QIAquick column is 400 mg; for gel slices >400 mg use more than one QIAquick column.

3. Incubate at 50°C for 10 min (or until the gel slice has completely dissolved). To help dissolve gel, mix by vortexing the tube every 2–3 min during the incubation. IMPORTANT: Solubilize agarose completely. For >2% gels, increase incubation time.

4. After the gel slice has dissolved completely, check that the color of the mixture is yellow (similar to Buffer QG without dissolved agarose). If the color of the mixture is orange or violet, add 10 μL of 3 M sodium acetate, pH 5.0, and mix. The color of the mixture will turn to yellow. The adsorption of DNA to the QIAquick membrane is efficient only at pH <7.5. Buffer QG contains a pH indicator which is yellow at pH <7.5 and orange or violet at higher pH, allowing easy determination of the optimal pH for DNA binding.

5. Add 1 gel volume of isopropanol to the sample and mix. This step increases the yield of DNA fragments <500 bp and >4 kb. For DNA fragments between 500 bp and 4 kb, addition of isopropanol has no effect on yield. Do not centrifuge the sample at this stage.

6. Place a QIAquick spin column in a provided 2 ml collection tube.

7. To bind DNA, apply the sample to the QIAquick column, and centrifuge for 1 min. The maximum volume of the column reservoir is 800 μL. For sample volumes of more than 800 μL, simply load and spin again.

8. Discard flow-through and place QIAquick column back in the same collection tube.

9. To wash, add 0.75 ml of Buffer PE to QIAquick column and centrifuge for 1 min.

10. Discard the flow-through and centrifuge the QIAquick column for an additional 1 min at 10,000 x g (~13,000 rpm). IMPORTANT: Residual ethanol from Buffer PE will not be completely removed unless the flow-through is discarded before this additional centrifugation.

11. Place QIAquick column into a clean 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tube.

12. To elute DNA, add 50 μL of Buffer EB (10 mM Tris•Cl, pH 8.5) or H2O to the center of the QIAquick membrane and centrifuge the column for 1 min at maximum speed. Alternatively, for increased DNA concentration, add 30 μl elution buffer to the center of the QIAquick membrane, let the column stand for 1 min, and then centrifuge for 1 min. Important: Ensure that the elution buffer is dispensed directly onto the QIAquick membrane for complete elution of bound DNA. The average eluate volume is 48 μL from 50 μL elution buffer volume, and 28 μL from 30 μL. Elution efficiency is dependent on pH. The maximum elution efficiency is achieved between pH 7.0 and 8.5. When using water, make sure that the pH value is within this range, and store DNA at –20°C as DNA may degrade in the absence of a buffering agent. The purified DNA can also be eluted in TE (10 mM Tris•Cl, 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.0), but the EDTA may inhibit subsequent enzymatic reactions.