Spin-column

What are Spin-Column Environmental/Microbial DNA/RNA Co-Extraction Kits?

Spin-column environmental/microbial DNA/RNA co-extraction kits simultaneously purify genomic DNA and total RNA - including small RNAs 17-200 nt - from feces, soil, water, biofilm, swabs, plant material, and body fluids using bead-beating mechanical disruption with BashingBeads (0.1 mm + 0.5 mm) for unbiased lysis of all microbial cell types, followed by sequential Zymo-Spin column purification in a standard microcentrifuge. The ZymoBIOMICS DNA/RNA Miniprep Kit delivers DNA and RNA in separate fractions - the primary advantage over the combined total nucleic acid eluate of the MagBead format - enabling parallel metagenomic and metatranscriptomic library preparation from one undivided environmental input without post-extraction enzymatic separation steps. Choose the spin-column format when processing 1-24 environmental samples per run, when separate DNA and RNA fractions are required from the outset, or when automation infrastructure is unavailable.

What you will find:

• Quick-DNA/RNA™ Water Kit to isolate high-purity nucleic acids from water samples using specialized column purification

• Quick-DNA/RNA™ Pathogen MiniPrep Kit for rapid co-extraction of pathogen genomes utilizing robust spin-column technology

• ZymoBIOMICS™ DNA/RNA Mini Kit to ensure unbiased microbiome profile recoveries using an innovative lysis system 

How to Choose a Spin-Column Environmental/Microbial DNA/RNA Co-Extraction Kit

Separate vs. Combined Fractions

The ZymoBIOMICS DNA/RNA Miniprep natively delivers separate DNA and RNA by column switching: gDNA binds the IIIC column while RNA flows through to the IC column. No post-extraction enzymatic treatment is needed to separate the analytes. This is the critical differentiator from the MagBead format, which requires DNase I treatment of the combined eluate to prepare an RNA fraction for RNA-seq.

PCR Inhibitor Removal Validation

Always measure A260/A230 on both eluates after extraction. Values below 1.5 indicate inhibitor carryover from humic acids (soil) or bile salts (feces) that will suppress PCR amplification and NGS library preparation. If A260/A230 < 1.5, reduce input mass to 50-100 mg and add an optional pass through Zymo-Spin III-HRC Inhibitor Removal Columns on the RNA eluate before downstream use.

Bead-Beating Instrument

A vortex with a horizontal adapter (Vortex-Genie 2 at max speed x 5 min) validates for standard fecal and soil samples. A dedicated bead mill (Precellys, FastPrep-24) at 6,000-6,500 rpm for 40-60 seconds per cycle provides more consistent lysis for tough-walled Gram-positive organisms in high-diversity environmental samples; use 2-3 cycles with 30-second cooling intervals on ice to prevent RNA degradation from heat.

DNA/RNA Shield for Sample Stabilization

DNA/RNA Shield preserves microbial community RNA at room temperature for 30 days. Add Shield directly to the sample tube immediately after collection - before any transport or refrigeration delay - to capture the metabolic RNA expression state at the moment of collection. Shield-stabilized samples load directly into BashingBead Lysis Tubes without additional preparation.

Input Scaling for Low-Biomass vs. High-Biomass Samples

Standard input for feces: 250 mg. Standard input for topsoil: 200 mg. For low-biomass environmental samples (filtered water, air, oligotrophic deep soil): collect maximum biomass by filtering the largest feasible volume and add carrier RNA (5 ng per extraction) to the lysis step to improve column binding of trace nucleic acids. For high-biomass samples (feces, compost), reduce input to 50-100 mg to avoid column overloading and inhibitor carryover.

Specifications Context

Performance benchmarks for the ZymoBIOMICS DNA/RNA Miniprep Kit: DNA yield 2-15 ug from 250 mg feces (A260/A280 >= 1.8, fragment size >= 15 kb for standard input); RNA yield 2-10 ug from 250 mg feces (A260/A280 >= 1.8, A260/A230 >= 1.5, small RNAs 17-200 nt included). The kit uses Zymo-Spin column technology with OneStep PCR Inhibitor Removal Technology validated for feces, soil, plant material, water, biofilm, swabs, saliva, and body fluids, producing inhibitor-free nucleic acids ready for RT-PCR, arrays, sequencing, and microbiome analyses. The ZymoBIOMICS DNA/RNA Miniprep is widely used in gut microbiome and soil metatranscriptomics research at institutions including Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Vanderbilt University, and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

For bulk pricing on ZymoBIOMICS DNA/RNA Miniprep kits, bead-beating instrument recommendations, or protocol guidance for low-biomass or high-inhibitor environmental samples, contact the MBP team.