Easy Purification and Storage of Blood DNA

By applying blood, bone marrow, or buffy coat sample to a special chemical treatment, DNA is captured and stabilized immediately, enabling indefinite room temperature storage.

Called FTA, the treatment is the fastest way to purify blood DNA for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. The DNA is purified on an FTA card in three simple steps, all in a single tube at room temperature. DNA remains immobilized on the matrix, ready for PCR. There is no need for further purification with time-consuming incubations or phenol/chloroform methods. Uses range from diagnostic and clinical applications to human leukocyte typing, genetic identification, and molecular screening.

FTA ensures safe room temperature storage and shipping. Nucleic acids are automatically stabilized without the need for refrigeration. FTA also inactivates potentially harmful pathogens, making samples safe for routine laboratory handling. Shipping samples to colleagues or central laboratories is easy with FTA cards. Automation speeds the handling of multiple FTA punches, reduces labor, increases throughput, and standardizes DNA purification.

The FTA matrix was developed by the Whatman Group (Maidstone, UK).




Related Links:
Whatman