Solid medium and process for the storage and rapid purification of nucleic acid

The present invention relates to medium and methods for storage and subsequent purification of nucleic acids or genetic material from whole cells. In particular, the invention relates to the storage and purification of nucleic acids from a biological mixture of molecules in a fluid phase on a support. The purified nucleic acid may then be utilized for a variety of analyses such as amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (PCR Technology: Principles and Applications for DNA Amplification, H. Erlich (ed) Stockton Press 1989), genotyping, sequencing (Sanger et al (1977) DNA Sequencing with Chain Terminating Inhibitors P. N. A. S. 74: 5463), optical density quantitation, southern and northern blotting, fluorescent detection, making molecular probes, and cloning (Molecular Cloning, Sambrook et al. (1989)). A medium for storage and subsequent analysis of a genetic material includes a support for immobilizing the genetic material thereon and allowing subsequent elution of the genetic material therefrom and a coating functionally associated with the support for enabling cellular lysis and releasing the genetic material from the lysed cells while stabilizing the immobilized released genetic material.A method of storing the genetic material and subsequently analyzing the genetic material includes the steps of immobilizing the genetic material on a support while enabling cellular lysis and release of genetic material from the lysed cells and stabilizing the immobilized released genetic material on the support. The genetic material is then eluted to generate a soluble genetic material fraction. The eluted genetic material can be analyzed.