Nucleic acid and cell preservative compositions. Methods of preserving nucleic acids and/or cells in a blood or other biological sample, and kits for preserving nucleic acids and/or cells in a blood or other biological sample are also described. The preservative compositions, methods and kits afford the isolation of genomic and cell-free DNA and RNA from myriad biological samples that display good yields, purity, integrity and, in the context of RNA, amplifiability.

This invention relates to a method for the purification of nucleic acids, preferably DNA, from biological samples, comprising the steps (a) optional lysis of said sample, (b) optional heat incubation of said sample, (c) enzymatic digestion of non-nucleic acid components in the product of step (a) or (b), (d) heat inactivation of one or more enzyme(s) used in step (c), (e) transfer of the product of step (d) onto a resin capable of retaining non-nucleic acid components, while the nucleic acids pass through the resin, thereby purifying the nucleic acids.

Provided herein are methods of purifying a sample containing nucleic acids to obtain isolated nucleic acids of a desired size range and methods of sequencing nucleic acids of a desired size range. The methods include a) combining a nucleic acid-containing sample with a precipitation buffer in a container to provide a precipitation mixture in which the precipitation buffer comprises water, a buffer, a salt, and polyvinyl pyrrolidinone (PVP) and/or Ficoll. The methods also include precipitating the nucleic acids in the precipitation mixture to provide a precipitated nucleic acid portion and a remaining sample portion. The precipitated nucleic acid portion predominantly comprises nucleic acid molecules above a selected size cutoff value and the remaining sample portion predominantly comprises nucleic acid molecules below the selected size cutoff value. The methods also include separating the precipitated nucleic acid portion from the remaining sample portion. Related compositions and kits are also provided herein.

A method for stabilizing cell-free nucleic acids. The method includes providing a composition and applying the composition to a biological sample as a stabilizing agent for the cell-free nucleic acids contained in the biological sample. The composition includes at least one buffering compound that buffers to a pH value of 7 or below, at least one anticoagulant and urotropin in aqueous solution.

The present invention relates to a process for extracting double-stranded DNA, using ionic liquids of formula (I). It also relates to kits comprising such ionic liquids to implement such a process.

The present application relates to an aptamer nucleic acid molecule, a complex containing the aptamer nucleic acid molecules, a method of detecting intracellular or extracellular RNA, DNA or other target molecules, and a kit containing the aptamer. The aptamer of the present application is capable of specifically binding a kind of fluorophore micromolecules, and can significantly enhance fluorescence intensity under excitation light of appropriate wavelength.

The present invention provides a test device for nucleic acid, including a sample treatment chamber, a sample reaction chamber and a test chamber which are disposed from top to bottom successively. The functions of sampling, nucleic acid purification, isothermal amplification and testing result reading by immunochromatography are integrated onto a device to prepare a simple and cute test device for nucleic acid; the device can achieve nucleic acid testing only by two rotations and can ensure that each sampling or reagent adding can reach the target area in a free falling way without any extra drainage facility. The present invention has lower costs, more convenient operation, high detection sensitivity, short time required in nucleic acid testing, and can be used for nucleic acid testing of various samples, such as human and animals.

The invention is directed to modified oligonucleotide compositions and methods for selectively reducing unwanted nucleic acid contaminants and enriching for desired nucleic acid targets from complex genomic nucleic acid mixtures for sequencing applications. The modified oligonucleotide compositions include one or more modified groups that increase the T.sub.m of the resultant oligonucleotide composition.

Compositions and methods are described for self-assembled polymer materials having at least one of macro, meso, or micro pores.

There is described herein, a method of capturing and analyzing cell-free methylated DNA in a sample. The method involves subjecting the sample to library preparation to permit subsequent sequencing of the cell-free methylated DNA. A predetermined amount of control synthetic DNA fragments are added to the sample. The control synthetic DNA fragments each have a known nucleic acid sequence that does not align to a target genome sequence, and at least some of the control synthetic DNA fragments are methylated. The sample is denatured, and cell-free methylated DNA and the control synthetic DNA fragments are captured using a binder selective for methylated polynucleotides. The captured DNA is amplified and sequenced.