Method, lysis solution and kit for selectively depleting animal nucleic acids in a sample

A method for selectively depleting animal nucleic acids from non-animal nucleic acids in a sample, the sample comprising animal cells and at least one further type of cells selected from microbial cells and plant cells or a combination thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

• i) selectively lysing the animal cells by contacting the sample with a lysis solution to obtain a mixture comprising intact microbial cells and/or plant cells as well as the animal nucleic acids released from the lysed animal cells into solution, said lysis solution being essentially chaotrope-free and comprising 0.01 to 15% (w/v) of a non-ionic surfactant, a water soluble salt selected from the group consisting of acetate, sulfate, glutamate, and mixtures thereof, and a sugar as a viscosity modifier,
• ii) digesting both DNA and RNA of the animal nucleic acids in the presence of the intact microbial and/or plant cells, and
• iii) separating the microbial and/or plant cells from the liquid part of the sample, including the digested animal nucleic acids.