Preparation of high-quality RNA was once an art mastered by only the most fastidious pairs of RNase-free hands. Trevigen Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., has put a new spin on mRNA purification with its INSTANT mRNA Capture Disc system. Designed around hole-punch-size membrane discs treated with a proprietary coating that binds polyadenylated RNA, the INSTANT mRNA system purifies high-quality mRNA from cells and tissues in less than one hour.

The system's procedure is simple and quick. Lysate from cultured cells or tissue sections is pipetted onto an INSTANT mRNA disc after a brief blocking step. A 10- to 30-minute incubation at room temperature captures polyA+ mRNA on the disc surface. Next, three quick washes are performed by simply dunking the discs in wash solutions. After the disc is air dried, the captured mRNA can be readily eluted for additional procedures, used immediately for RT-PCR, or even stored for at least one...

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