QIAshredder Homogenizer

QIAshredder spin columns are designed for simple and rapid homogenization of cell and tissue lysates.

Format:	Mini spin columns
Sample source:	Animal or human cell or tissue lysates, plant cell or tissue lysates, white blood cell lysates
Sample size:	Up to 700 µl cell lysate
Homogenization time:	2 minutes
Applications:	Accessory for use with the RNeasy Mini Kit and Oligotex Direct mRNA Kits

Features and benefits Replaces syringe-and-needle homogenization Reduces loss of sample material Eliminates cross-contamination between samples Filters out insoluble debris and reduces viscosity QIAshredder Kit options QIAshredder Kits are available with 50 or 250 QIAshredder homogenizers for use with the RNeasy Mini Kit and Oligotex Direct mRNA Kits. QIAshredder spin columns are also included in the: RNeasy Plant Mini Kit DNeasy Plant Mini Kit QIAamp RNA Blood Mini Kit

Comparison of RNA Yields with Different Homogenization Methods Northern blot of total RNA isolated from 5 x 106 HeLa cells using the RNeasy Mini procedure with the indicated homogenization methods. RNA was eluted with 2 x 40 µl water, and 10 µl was loaded per lane.

Principle

The QIAshredder unit consists of a unique biopolymer shredding system in a microcentrifuge spin-column format. Isolation of total or poly A+ RNA from cell or tissue lysates requires homogenization to reduce viscosity caused by high-molecular-weight cellular components and cell debris. Traditional methods use syringes and needles, which are tedious, inconvenient, and hazardous to handle. QIAshredder spin columns replace these homogenization methods with a fast and simple centrifugation step. In general, similar yields and RNA quality are obtained for cell lysates as with rotor–stator homogenization (see figure "Comparison of RNA Yields with Different Homogenization Methods").

Procedure

Up to 700 µl of a cell lysate can be homogenized by pipetting or decanting the lysate into a QIAshredder unit and centrifuging for 2 minutes at full speed in a microcentrifuge. The homogenized lysate is ready to use in nucleic acid isolation procedures.