Over the last 20 years, numerous outbreaks of infectious agents such as Ebola, influenza, Zika, and novel coronaviruses (SARS, MERS, COVID-19) have caused global economic disruption and strained public health resources.

Understanding the host cell response to a pathogen can include large-scale -omics and discovery approaches, targeted identification of important cells and proteins involved in the immune response—all beginning with optimized preparation of your starting sample.
 

Starting with sample preparation

Analysis of viruses in biological and environmental samples requires efficient methods for viral nucleic acids that are amenable to a variety of sample types. Viral nucleic acids may need to be isolated from saliva, blood, tissue, and even wastewater or stool samples. Each sample type has unique requirements for optimal nucleic acid extraction and isolation.

The two most common viral nucleic acid isolation technologies are magnetic beads and silica (glass) fiber filters. Both work by taking advantage of their different affinity for nucleic acids based on the concentration of chaotropic salts in the buffer, binding in high-salt buffers and eluting in low-salt buffers.

Thermo Fisher Scientific offers comprehensive sample preparation solutions for various applications from epidemiological surveillance to pathogen detection and analysis solutions. Easily extract DNA or RNA from your viral/pathogen sample, tailored to your sample type and throughput needs.

Protocols for immunology

Apply the background information provided throughout this resource center with practical and relevant application protocols. Browse by application or technique:

Cell preparation and immune cell stimulation

Cell preparation and immune cell stimulation

Find detailed protocols on the isolation of the different immune cells starting from whole blood or lymphoid tissue and various methods to stimulate them.

Sample preparation

Sample preparation

Protocols covering isolation of RNA from immune cells to sample preparation for immunoassays.

 

Flow cytometry

Flow cytometry

Detailed protocols on staining, compensation, and validated antibody panels.

 

Immunoassays

Immunoassays

Find general protocols for ELISA, western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry.
 

 


Selection guide: Viral DNA/RNA extraction

Viral nucleic extraction kits from Thermo Fisher Scientific are optimized to provide maximum viral DNA/RNA yield, purity, and integrity from a broad range of sample types. Choose the kit that best suits your research needs:

Best forRecovery of low abundance viral DNA/RNAHigh quality DNA/RNA from liquid samplesAutomated extraction of viral DNA/RNA from liquid samplesAutomated extraction of DNA/RNA from range of biological sample typesDNA/RNA extraction from difficult to lyse samples
Product
PureLink Viral RNA/DNA Mini Kit

PureLink Viral RNA/DNA Mini Kit

GeneJet Viral DNA/RNA Purification Kit

GeneJet Viral DNA/RNA Purification Kit

PureLink Pro 96 Viral RNA/DNA Purification Kit

PureLink Pro 96 Viral RNA/DNA Purification Kit

MagMAX Prime Viral/ Pathogen NA Isolation Kit

MagMAX Prime Viral/Pathogen NA Isolation Kit

MagMAX Microbiome Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit

MagMAX Microbiome Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit

Cat. No.12280050K082112280096AA58145A42357
Starting volume500 µL200–400 µL200 µL200–400 µL200–500 µL or 100–250 mg
Sample typesCell-free plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluidPlasma, serum, nasal swab, buccal swab, saliva, urineCell-free plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluidSwabs in transport media (respiratory, genital and lesion swabs), saliva, stool, urine, plasma and serumStool, swabs, transport media, culture media, urine, wastewater, soil
Isolation technology & formatSilica spin columnSilica spin columnSilica membrane 96-well microplateMagnetic beads/deep-well plateMagnetic beads/multiwell plate
Protocol time45 mins30–60 mins30 mins30–60 mins (automated)~60 mins
Sample elution volume10–50 µL50 µL50–150 µL60 µL50–200 μL
Automation compatibleNoNoYesYesYes
Number of preps5050384600100
Downstream applications(RT)-PCR, (RT)-qPCR, northern blotting(RT)-PCR, (RT)-qPCR, northern blotting(RT)-PCR, (RT)-qPCR, northern blotting(RT)-PCR, (RT)-qPCR, NGS(RT)-PCR, (RT)-qPCR, NGS
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Brand offerings:

Tips and tricks icon
Helpful tip

If you are not ready to process your RNA sample, simply store it in Invitrogen RNAlater Stabilization Solution for use at a later time. Visit thermofisher.com/stabilizerna

Capabilities
 
Process a large amount of tissue
 
Fast isolation of RNA from a variety of samplesHigh-throughput purification of RNA and DNAProcess cells for gene expression

Kits

 

TRIzol reagents

TRIzol reagents

PureLink kits

PureLink kits

MagMAX kits

MagMAX kits

Cells-to-CT kits
 

Cells-to-Ct kits

Prep time30–60 mins<20 mins45 mins≤10 mins
Sample typesMost samples, particularly those more difficult to lyseBacteria, liquid, blood, cells, yeast, plants, tissueBlood, plants, saliva, urine, stool, soil, plasma, serumCultured cells
Starting material
 
100 mg of tissue or 107 cells108 cells, 200 mg of tissue,
250 mg of plant tissue, 0.2 mL of blood,
5 x 108 yeast, 109 bacteria
Variable depending on sample1–100,000 cells
Yield
 
106 epithelial cells: 8–15 μg
100 mg tobacco leaf: 73 μg
(Variable depending on sample)
Up to 350 µgVariable depending on sampleN/A
High-throughput compatibleNoYesYesYes
TechnologyOrganic extractionSilica membrane spin column/filter plateMagnetic beadsCrude lysate
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For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

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