One-step procedure for the purification of nucleic acids

A method of removing lysis buffer components from a nucleic acid sample, the method comprising

• a) providing a specimen comprising or suspected of comprising nucleic acids,
• b) contacting the specimen with one or more lysis reagents to create a lysed specimen,
• c) contacting the lysed specimen with a solid substrate for a length of time and under conditions suitable for nucleic acids in the specimen to bind to the solid substrate to create a lysed specimen with solid substrate bound nucleic acids,
• d) depositing the lysed specimen with solid substrate bound nucleic acids in a vessel, layering an aqueous-based separation gel over the lysed specimen with solid substrate bound nucleic acids and further layering a buffer over the aqueous-based separation gel, and
• e) causing the solid substrate bound nucleic acids, if nucleic acid is present in the specimen, to pass through the aqueous-based separation gel into the buffer.