title: Parallel RNA extraction using magnetic beads and a droplet array.
abstract: Nucleic acid extraction is a necessary step for most genomic/transcriptomic analyses, but it often requires complicated mechanisms to be integrated into a lab-on-a-chip device. Here, we present a simple, effective configuration for rapidly obtaining purified RNA from low concentration cell medium. This Total RNA Extraction Droplet Array (TREDA) utilizes an array of surface-adhering droplets to facilitate the transportation of magnetic purification beads seamlessly through individual buffer solutions without solid structures. The fabrication of TREDA chips is rapid and does not require a microfabrication facility or expertise. The process takes less than 5 minutes. When purifying mRNA from bulk marine diatom samples, its repeatability and extraction efficiency are comparable to conventional tube-based operations. We demonstrate that TREDA can extract the total mRNA of about 10 marine diatom cells, indicating that the sensitivity of TREDA approaches single-digit cell numbers.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biosignatures Discovery Automation, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona, USA. joe.chao@asu.edu.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Chun-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Shih-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Deirdre R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Meldrum
mesh_terms: D017377:Diatoms / Q000166:cytology; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D008863:Microspheres; D010316:Particle Size; D012313:RNA / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA