Modified salting-out method for DNA isolation from newborn cord blood nucleated cells

The present work describes modification of a widely used salting-out proced ure to rapidly extract DNA suitable for PCR, using the ARMS method to ampli fy a target sequence in the beta -globin gene. The salting-out DNA extracti on procedure did not completely remove or decrease the presence of inhibito rs to PCR in a considerable number of cord blood samples. By introducing a simple phenol/chloroform step. before ethanol precipitation of the nucleic acid, to certain samples, we were able to eliminate or substantially reduce the presence of inhibitors to PCR without having to re-extract the samples . J. Clin. Lab.Anal. 14:280-283, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.