Abstract: The invention relates to the use of surfaces having hydrophilic and/or oleophilic areas, each of which being completely surrounded by the ultraphobic areas, for analyzing samples. The invention also relates to a method for precisely dosing liquids without contaminating them.

Abstract: The invention generally provides a method for the sample preparation for a subsequent preparation, processing or analysis method of a sample containing an at least one species of nucleic acid and/or one species of protein, whereby the method comprises the following steps: A) providing a sample which contains at least one species of a nucleic acid and/or of a protein, B) contacting the sample with a fluid or solid composition to produce a fluid sample preparation, whereby the composition contains at least a nitrogenous compound, which is selected from the group consisting of a) polyamines, b) amino acids, and oligo- and polypeptides, c) nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds, including homo-older heteropolymeres, which comprise these nitrogenous compounds, d) amines of the type R1R2NR3, whereby R1, R2 and R3 are chosen independently from one another from the group consisting of H, C1-C5-alkyl groups and aryl groups, whereby R1, R2 and R3 are not H simultaneously, e) carboxylic acid amides, f) inorganic ammonium sa

Abstract: The invention relates to a rapid method for isolating nucleic acid from a nucleic acid source, wherein the nucleic acid source is lysed in the absence of a chaotropic salt and in the absence of an alcohol. The lysate is subsequently filtered through a porous matrix consisting of a material based on silica or of a silica coated material, which binds the nucleic acid in the absence of a chaotropic salt and in the absence of an alcohol. Finally, the nucleic acid is eluted from the porous matrix by an aqueous buffer solution. Furthermore, this invention relates to a test kit in order to isolate the nucleic acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the concentration and/or isolation of nucleic acids or nucleic acid-containing species from a nucleic acid-containing solution, and a kit therefor. In one embodiment, the invention relates to the concentration and/or isolation of DNA and RNA from nucleic acid-containing solutions.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method of amplifying closed circular nucleic acid probes and, more particularly, to a method of amplifying closed circular nucleic acid probes by rolling circle amplification. The method of the present invention is useful in a range of applications involving the detection of nucleic acid sequences such as, but not limited to, the identification of genetic disorders, genetic variants or the presence of microbiological or viral agents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for separation of a mixture comprising an organic and an aqueous phase making use of a solid phase system. Still further the invention refers to a specific solid phase system, namely a spin column which can be used in order to carry out said method in an easy way. According to preferred embodiments the organic phase is phenol or phenol/chloroform.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for amplification of nucleic acid sequences of interest. It has been discovered that amplification reactions can produce amplification products of high quality, such as low amplification bias, if performed on an amount of nucleic acid at or over a threshold amount and/or on nucleic acids at or below a threshold concentration. The threshold amount and concentration can vary depending on the nature and source of the nucleic acids to be amplified and the type of amplification reaction employed. Disclosed is a method of determining the threshold amount and/or threshold concentration of nucleic acids that can be used with nucleic acid samples of interest in amplification reactions of interest. Because amplification reactions can produce high quality amplification products, such as low bias amplification products, below the threshold amount and/or concentration of nucleic acid, such below-threshold amounts and/or concentrations can be used in amplification reactions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a structured surface with ultraphobic properties. Said surface as a surface topography in which the value of the integral of a function S: S(log f)=a(f)·f, which gives a relationship between the spatial frequencies f of the individual Fourier components and their amplitudes a(f) is at least 0.5 between the integration limits log (f1/?m?1)=?3 and log (f2/?m?1)=3. The surface consists of a hydrophobic or oleophobic material or is coated with a hydrophobic or oleophobic material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new compositions for isolating and/or stabilising nucleic acids in materials of biological origin. The compositions comprise as an essential ingredient a cationic compound of general formula Y+R1R2R3R4X? wherein Y may represent nitrogen or phosphorus R1, R2, R3 and R4 independently of one another may represent a branched or unbranched C1-C20-alkyl group and/or a C6-C20-aryl group as well as a C6-C26-aralkyl group and X? may represent an anion of an inorganic or organic, mono- or polybasic acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the coarse clarification of lysed cell material from microorganisms and particularly to a method of obtaining nucleic acids. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a method of coarsely clarifying cell lysate from microorganisms that comprises: lysing the microorganisms under the normal atmospheric pressure to form a flocculent precipitate in the lysate, compressing the flocculent precipitate in the lysate by reducing or increasing the pressure of the atmosphere surrounding the lysate in relation to the normal atmospheric pressure to form a compressed flocculent phase and a liquid phase, and separating the two phases.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods useful for reducing the formation of artifacts during nucleic acid amplification reactions. The method uses special oligonucleotides, referred to herein as template-deficient oligonucleotides, that cannot serve as a template for nucleic acid synthesis over part of their length. This prevents the oligonucleotides from serving as effective templates in the formation of artifacts. The disclosed method involves using a template-deficient oligonucleotide as at least one of the oligonucleotides (preferably a primer) in a nucleic acid amplification reaction, where the template-deficient oligonucleotide comprises one or more template-deficient nucleotides, preferably at or near the 5? end of the template-deficient oligonucleotide. The disclosed method is useful for reducing artifacts in any nucleic acid amplification reaction involving oligonucleotides. In a preferred form of the method the nucleic acid amplification reaction does not involve thermal cycling.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for a polymerase chain reaction, in which a template nucleic acid, at least one primer, deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates as well as a DNA polymerase with proofreading activity are used. In addition, according to this invention, at least one target substrate is added to the polymerase chain reaction, whereby the efficiency of the DNA polymerase with proofreading activity is significantly increased. Any molecule that reduces or, in the optimal case, blocks the 3?,5?-exonuclease activity of the DNA polymerase used is suitable as target substrate. Technical solutions for the added substrate (target substrate) are in particular single stranded, linear oligonucleotides, hairpin oligonucleotides and RNA and DNA molecules. Furthermore, a kit is disclosed which comprise the required reagents for the implementation of the method according to the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for the targeted transfection of cells, compositions which may be used for such processes, and corresponding pharmaceutical compositions for gene therapy. In particular, the invention relates to a process for introducing nucleic acid into cells comprising the steps of (a) mixing a nucleic acid with a dendrimer, in which a proportion of the dendrimer molecules are biotinylated; (b) mixing the resulting complex of nucleic acid and dendrimer with a second complex consisting of avidin or streptavidin and a biotinylated target-specific binding molecule; and (c) incubating the complex formed in step (b) with cells. Dendrimers which are well suited to the present invention include, for example, partially solvolysed polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. Target-specific binding molecules are, in particular, cell-type-specific markers of the cell surface of the target cells.

Abstract: Porous, ferro- or ferrimagnetic, glass particles are described that selectively bind molecules of interest, especially nucleic acid molecules, under appropriate conditions. Methods of preparing the porous, ferro- or ferrimagnetic, glass particles and their use of identifying or separating molecules of interest are also described. Kits comprising the porous, ferro- or ferrimagnetic, glass particles are also provided.

Abstract: A process for the depletion or removal of endotoxins from preparations containing active ingredients designated for therapeutical use which are obtained from natural sources by genetic engineering and/or biotechnology by treatment with chromatographic material wherein said natural source are lysed, the fractions obtained are optionally centrifuged, filtrated or treated with affinity chromatographic methods; said fractions are preincubated with an aqueous salt solution and detergents, treated with anion exchange material and then washed with another salt solution, and the active ingredients are eluted from the anion exchanger, followed by further purification in a per se known manner.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and a method for amplification of nucleic acid sequences of interest. The disclosed method generally involves replication of a target sequence such that, during replication, the replicated strands are displaced from the target sequence by strand displacement replication of another replicated strand. In one form of the disclosed method, the target sample is not subjected to denaturing conditions. It was discovered that the target nucleic acids, genomic DNA, for example, need not be denatured for efficient multiple displacement amplification. The primers used can be hexamer primers. The primers can also each contain at least one modified nucleotide such that the primers are nuclease resistant. The primers can also each contain at least one modified nucleotide such that the melting temperature of the primer is altered relative to a primer of the same sequence without the modified nucleotide(s). The DNA polymerase can be ?29 DNA polymerase.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a process for the chromatographic separation of nucleic acid mixtures into their double-stranded and single-stranded nucleic acid fractions by simultaneously absorbing said nucleic acids as a whole to a mineral support, followed by separation into double-stranded and single-stranded nucleic acids by fractional elution, or by selectively absorbing double-stranded or single-stranded nucleic acid of a liquid sample to a mineral support, as well as solutions and a kit for performing the process according to the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the rapid simultaneous production of a plurality of single-stranded DNA circles having a predetermined size and nucleotide sequence using pre-designed hairpin oligonucleotides containing complementary sequences for directing ligation to form dumbbell-shaped monomers followed by heat denaturation to yield single-stranded DNA circles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the stabilization, purification or/and isolation of nucleic acids from material samples, in particular, stool samples, which can contain impurities and inhibitors or interfering substances. The invention further relates to a reagent kit for carrying out said method. The basis of the invention is, in particular, a method for purification, stabilization or/and isolation of nucleic acids from material samples, whereby a buffer is added to the sample containing the nucleic acids, with a pH value of 2 to 7, a salt concentration of at least 100 mM, or/and a phenol neutralizing substance. According to the invention, pure nucleic acids which may be amplified can be obtained from faecal samples by a simple method, which are suitable for diagnostic proof of infections, in particular, bacterial or viral infections, or mutations, in particular, for tumour-specific DNA mutations.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for sequence-specific isolation of polynucleotide molecules from nucleic acid populations and subsequent amplification of isolated polynucleotide molecules or fragments thereof.