Generic sample preparation

A process for simultaneously amplifying a first target nucleic acid and a second target nucleic acid from a plurality of different types of fluid samples, wherein the first target nucleic acid is a nucleic acid from bacteria and the second nucleic acid is a nucleic acid from DNA viruses or RNA viruses or the first nucleic acid is a nucleic acid from the DNA viruses or the RNA viruses and the second target nucleic acid is a nucleic acid from the bacteria and the process comprises following automated steps:

• (a) adding an identical lysis buffer to the plurality of different types of fluid samples, thereby releasing nucleic acids from the bacteria, the DNA viruses, and the RNA viruses by lysing the bacteria, the DNA viruses, and the RNA viruses present in the plurality of different types of fluid samples, and combining together magnetic particles and the nucleic acids released from the bacteria, the DNA viruses, and the RNA viruses for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to permit the nucleic acids to be immobilized on the magnetic particles, wherein the lysis buffer comprises a chaotropic agent, a buffer substance, an alcohol, and a reducing agent, and has a pH between 5.5 and 6.5, and the nucleic acids comprise the first target nucleic acid and the second target nucleic acid;
• (b) isolating the magnetic particles of step (a) from other materials present in the different types of fluid samples in a separation station, thereby producing isolated magnetic particles, wherein the separation station comprises one or more magnets;
• (c) on the separation station, washing the isolated magnetic particles by adding a wash buffer to the isolated magnetic particles in vessels and dispensing suspensions comprising the wash buffer and the separated magnetic particles one or more times in the vessels using a pipet;
• (d) obtaining purified nucleic acids by eluting the nucleic acids from the magnetic particles obtained from step (c) with an elution buffer;
• (e) transferring the purified nucleic acids to a plurality of reaction vessels;
• and
• (f) simultaneously amplifying the first target nucleic acid and the second target nucleic acid from the purified nucleic acid in the plurality of reaction vessels,
• wherein the period of time and conditions of step (a) are identical for the plurality of different types of fluid samples.