A Solid Solution

Performing phenol extraction of nucleic acid samples is rarely the high point in a molecular biologist's day. This technique for removing contaminating proteins from a sample has endured despite the challenge of avoiding the goopy interface during transfer of the desired, upper aqueous phase. Who hasn't gone for that last little bit of nucleic acid sample and accidentally sucked up some of the interface? To ensure purity, many researchers keep a safe distance from the interface and settle for reduced yield. So why have researchers braved the fumes and risked nasty phenol burns for so many years? One simple reason: Phenol extraction works.

Eppendorf Scientific of Westbury, N.Y., now offers Phase Lock Gel (PLG), a solid solution for relatively painless phenol or chloroform extractions. PLG is a unique proprietary compound that forms a durable barrier between the organic and aqueous phases after centrifugation, essentially trapping both the undesirable organic phase...