Investigator STAR Lyse & Prep Kit (400)

This QIAGEN kit enables automated purification of genomic DNA from 1–96 forensic and human-identity samples using open DNA extraction platforms from third-party suppliers such as Hamilton, TECAN, or others. It supports a wide range of forensic and human-identity sample materials and is intended for downstream applications including STR analysis and (real-time) PCR. The kit uses magnetic-particle technology and accepts input volumes of 300 or 500 µl of lysate. It meets ISO 18385 requirements and is suitable for forensic casework samples in a high-throughput setup.

Purification involves four steps: lyse, bind, wash and elute. Samples are lysed under denaturing conditions in the presence of proteinase K and Buffer ATL. The magnetic-particle approach combines the speed and efficiency of silica-based DNA purification with the convenient handling of magnetic particles, in a format designed specifically for open DNA extraction platforms. DNA is isolated from lysates in one step through its binding to the silica surface of the particles in the presence of a chaotropic salt, and the particles are separated from the lysates using a magnet. The DNA is then efficiently washed and eluted in modified TE buffer (Buffer ATE), producing DNA suitable for direct use in forensic and human identity testing.

In a tolerance test, humic acid (1000 ng/µl) and hematin (3500 µM) were spiked into neat saliva and five replicates were processed.