Bbi, Bioseq, Inc.

Pressure Biosciences, Inc.

Feng Tao

James A Laugharn, Jr

Robert A Hess

Methods for cell lysis and purification of biological materials, involving subjecting a sample to high pressure. Also featured is an apparatus for practicing the methods.

Pressure-enhanced extraction and purification

Methods for cell lysis and purification of biological materials, involving subjecting a sample maintained at a subzero temperature to high pressure, are disclosed. Apparatus for practicing the methods are also disclosed. The cell or cells that are lysed may be in suspension or part of a tissue. They are lysed by a method that includes: (i) providing a frozen cell or cells under atmospheric pressure; (ii) while maintaining the cell or cells at a subzero temperature, exposing the cell or cells to an elevated pressure in a pressure chamber, the elevated pressure being sufficient to thaw the frozen cell or cells at the subzero temperature; (iii) depressurizing the pressure chamber to freeze the cell or cells at the subzero temperature; and (iv) repeating the exposing and depressurizing steps until the cell or cells are lysed. This method can lyse a cell or cells with or without cell walls; such cells include, but are not limited to, bacteria, viruses, fungal cells (e.g, yeast cells), plant cells (e.g, corn leaf tissue), animal cells, insect cells, and protozoan cells.

The invention is based on the discovery that hyperbaric, hydrostatic pressure reversibly alters the partitioning of nucleic acids between certain adsorbed and solvated phases relative to partitioning at ambient pressure. The new methods and devices disclosed herein make use of this discovery for highly selective and efficient, low salt isolation and purification of nucleic acids from a broad range of sample types, including forensic samples, blood and other body fluids, and cultured cells.

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Montgomery Village, MD, United States of America

Feng Tao