Abstract: A system and methods of characterizing a population of a virus, bacteriophage, or other microbes in a microbiome that includes the steps of separating a sample of microbiota into more than one fraction by continuous capillary zone electrophoresis based on the physiochemical properties of the microbes in the microbiota using a constant voltage applied to the sample during the continuous zone electrophoresis. At least one separated fraction includes an intact virus, bacteriophage, or other microbe that may be visualized and/or directly sequenced to characterize the population of the virus, bacteriophage, or other microbe in the microbiome.

Abstract: A system and methods of characterizing a population of a virus, bacteriophage, or other microbes in a microbiome that includes the steps of separating a sample of microbiota into more than one fraction by continuous capillary zone electrophoresis based on the physiochemical properties of the microbes in the microbiota using a constant voltage applied to the sample during the continuous zone electrophoresis. At least one separated fraction includes an intact virus, bacteriophage, or other microbe that may be visualized and/or directly sequenced to characterize the population of the virus, bacteriophage, or other microbe in the microbiome.

Abstract: Current procedures for the analysis of sexual assault kits are labor intensive, time consuming and deliver a success rate lower than 40%. This has resulted in rape kit backlogs of thousands. The primary challenge crime laboratories face in analyzing these cases is the separation of purified male DNA from the mixture of primarily female DNA from gynecological swabs. Effective elution of the sample from the swab and efficient separation of intact sperm cells from epithelial and other cellular debris, allow for a successful PCR amplification and short tandem repeat (STR) DNA analysis for perpetrator identification. The disclosure provides an effective and economically accessible technology for the separation of male and female cells and DNA, for example, from a gynecological swab by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE).

Abstract: Capillary electrophoresis fractionation of an environmental microbiota segregates high abundance microbes from lower abundance species, and results in a three-fold increase in the number of 16s rRNA OTUs that map to known species. However, most of the bacteria are found in a few wells, although reasonably large numbers of OTUs were found in over half the wells.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus for identifying a polynucleotide capable of binding a target. The apparatus comprises a first, second, and third high voltage power supply; a first, second, and third capillary tube; a first, second, and third buffer reservoir; a fraction collector, and at least one collection vessel.