Electrophoretic nucleic acid purification method

A method for purifying a nucleic acid sample comprising the steps of:

• providing a nucleic acid sample comprising a desired nucleic acid and one or more contaminants;
• providing an electrophoresis matrix having a loading well and a recovery well formed therein, wherein the loading well and the recovery well are separate wells;
• placing the nucleic acid sample into the loading well;
• performing a first electrophoresis comprising electrophoresing the nucleic acid sample for a first time effective to transport the desired nucleic acid out of the loading well and into the electrophoresis matrix;
• and
• performing a second electrophoresis comprising electrophoresing the nucleic acid sample for a second time effective to transport the desired nucleic acid out of the electrophoresis matrix and into the recovery well;
• wherein the first electrophoresis employs a DC electrical field and the second electrophoresis employs a LITAC electrical field comprising a forward time t.sub.F a forward electrical field E.sub.F, a reverse time t.sub.R, and a reverse electrical field E.sub.R, wherein (a)
• t.sub.F *E.sub.F =t.sub.R *E.sub.R,
• and (b) the forward electrical field E.sub.F is greater than the reverse electrical field E.sub.R ;
• wherein the first and second electrophoresis is effective to substantially reduce the concentration of contaminants relative the concentration of desired nucleic acid, thereby producing a purified nucleic acid.

A method for purifying a nucleic acid sample comprising the steps of:

• providing a nucleic acid sample comprising a desired nucleic acid and one or more contaminants;
• providing an electrophoresis matrix having a loading well and a recovery well formed therein, wherein the loading well and the recovery well are separate wells;
• placing the nucleic acid sample into the loading well;
• performing a first electrophoresis comprising electrophoresing, the nucleic acid sample for a first time effective to transport the desired nucleic acid out of the loading well and into the electrophoresis matrix;
• and
• performing a second electrophoresis comprising electrophoresing, the nucleic acid sample for a second time effective to transport the desired nucleic acid out of the electrophoresis matrix and into the recovery well;
• wherein the first electrophoresis comprises electrophoresing the desired nucleic acid in a first direction and the second electrophoresis comprises electrophoresing the desired nucleic acid in a second direction different from the first direction and
• wherein the first and second electrophoresis is effective to substantially reduce the concentration of contaminants relative the concentration of desired nucleic acid, thereby producing a purified nucleic acid.