PNA-MEDIATED PURIFICATION OF PCR AMPLIFIABLE HUMAN GENOMIC DNA FROM WHOLE-BLOOD

A simple and rapid procedure whereby human genomic DNA can be purified in a PCR amplifiable form from whole blood is described. In a first s tep, human genomic DNA is hybridized in solution to a biotinylated pep tide nucleic acid (PNA), which forms a high-affinity triplex with A(7) sequence motifs in the target DNA. The complex is then captured onto paramagnetic streptavidin-coated particles, which are subsequently tra nsferred directly into the PCR. The purification method effectively re moves inhibitors of the PCR from as much as 500 mu L of whole blood.