Many researchers have experience running experiments only to yield poor-quality results. This can be especially problematic when looking to capture the true total RNA present in often precious samples, particularly when missing small or otherwise important RNA species during the purification step.
Image Credit: Norgen Biotek Corp.
Norgen’s proprietary RNA purification technology has been proven to drastically enhance RNA yield and quality versus commonly used silica-based isolation methods.
This article explores three key reasons why Norgen’s industry-leading and patented RNA purification technology remains the best-in-class for total RNA purification.
Eliminating hazardous compounds
The hazardous compound phenol/chloroform is found in many RNA isolation kits. As well as its inherent risks, phenol/chloroform carryover from the isolation step has the potential to adversely affect sensitive downstream applications like PCR and next-generation sequencing (NGS).
This is due to phenol/chloroform’s inhibitory effects on reverse transcriptase, which can ultimately lead to low-quality results and even missed diagnoses.
Norgen’s proprietary technology entirely avoids the use of phenol/chloroform and other hazardous organic compounds, meaning that it is possible to achieve reliable end results with no risk of phenol/chloroform carryover.
The importance of size and content
RNA strands can greatly vary in length, though many popular silica-based RNA isolation kits prefer to bind large RNA species.
Norgen’s industry-leading technology can capture the sample’s true total RNA content without bias, including the most diverse collection of microRNAs.
Silica-based RNA isolations have also demonstrated a bias towards high GC content RNA strands, leading to the retraction of several important papers due to biased findings.1,2
Norgen’s technology is not biased toward species with high GC content, meaning it is possible to capture a more accurate picture of the sample’s true total RNA content. Size and content are key, so it is important to use RNA isolation kits that can accommodate this diversity.
Sensitive results need sensitive tests
Many people have been tested for COVID-19, and there have been cases of false negative tests where the test is negative, but the individual becomes symptomatic and tests positive for the virus several days later.
This was especially common at the beginning and height of the pandemic, and these false negative results had significant real-world implications.
Norgen’s technology can be relied upon when it comes to obtaining a critical RNA isolation result. One paper published during the COVID pandemic highlighted the effectiveness of Norgen’s proprietary RNA isolation technology, showing this to be superior to its competitors in terms of detecting early phase infection.
Image Credit: Image Courtesy of LC Sciences, Houston
Norgen’s technology was shown to successfully detect COVID in 100% of the positive samples investigated, whereas the silica-based competitor only detected 25%.
Experiments have also highlighted that Norgen’s RNA technology remains linear in its yield with logarithmic decreases in cell concentration, while competitors’ technology drops off at low concentrations without the use of RNA carriers.2
This issue is especially problematic with downstream applications and sequencing efficiency. Norgen’s total RNA purification kits are the ideal option when isolating RNA from important low-concentration samples.
Norgen’s best-in-class RNA purification technology represents the ideal solution for working with sensitive samples or improving an RNA purification workflow.
References and further reading
- Kim, Y.-K., et al. (2011). Cell adhesion-dependent control of microRNA decay. Molecular cell, (online) 43(6), pp.1005–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2011.07.031.
- Kim, Y.-K., Yet alN. (2012). Short Structured RNAs with Low GC Content Are Selectively Lost during Extraction from a Small Number of Cells. Molecular Cell, (online) 46(6), pp.893–895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2012.05.036.
Acknowledgments
Produced from materials originally authored by Jeremy Bannon, MD from Norgen Biotek Corporation.
About Norgen Biotek Corp.
Norgen Biotek: Advancing science with best-in-class, scientist-backed innovations
Norgen Biotek is a fully integrated biotechnology company that focuses on providing complete workflows for molecular biology sample preparation and analysis. With a diverse portfolio of over 600 products, the company delivers high-performance, user-friendly, and cost-effective solutions.
Scientifically driven, industry trusted
Norgen kits cover a broad range of applications from collection and preservation to isolation and purification. Our expert R&D team continuously develops cutting-edge technologies that set new industry standards for RNA, DNA, protein, and exosomal isolation, ensuring superior yield, purity, and integrity from even the most challenging sample types.
Unparalleled performance
At the heart of Norgen’s success is its patented Silicon Carbide (SiC) Technology. This proprietary resin exhibits uniform binding affinity for all RNA species, regardless of molecular weight or GC content. This ensures the full diversity of small and microRNA are captured while eliminating the need for phenol extraction. This innovative technology sets Norgen kits apart from others, positioning them as leaders in RNA purification.
Comprehensive solutions for any challenge
Norgen is committed to providing high-quality kits capable of processing a wide range of sample types, from ultra-low input samples such as liquid biopsies to highly impure samples like stool or soil. Our sample collection and preservation devices for stool and saliva simplify handling by rendering samples non-infectious by preventing microbial growth and inactivating viruses, while our blood and urine preservation solutions ensure the stability of highly vulnerable cell-free nucleic acids.
To meet varying research demands, we offer multiple isolation methods including, but not limited to high-throughput and automation-ready magnetic bead-based formats. Additionally, our multiple-analyte kits enable the simultaneous purification of RNA, DNA, and proteins, maximizing data extraction from a single sample.
Norgen offers an extensive variety of TaqMan qPCR kits designed for molecular diagnostic use, including lyophilized kits for easy shipping. Library preparation kits for both DNA and RNA samples are also available to support genomic applications. Norgen recently released their EXTRAClean technology, an innovative solution that minimizes background noise while providing high-purity RNA, significantly enhancing NGS performance.
Why choose Norgen?
- Scientist-Driven Innovation – Developed by leading experts in molecular biology
- Proven Quality & Reliability – ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certified, indicating a commitment to selling high-quality products
- Global Presence – We ship to over 150 countries and have a network of 60+ distributors
- Award Winning – Norgen Biotek Corp. was honored with the 2021 Innovative Leaders Award, and recognized as the 2024 Rapid Star Award Winner in the PCR category.
- Innovative Products – Hold more than thirty issued and pending patents for products presenting solutions for all research & clinical applications
Driven by a mission to accelerate scientific discoveries, Norgen Biotek actively supports researchers by providing educational resources, technical workshops, and application notes. Their NorBlog serves as a hub for the latest scientific discoveries, protocol optimizations, and industry trends.
Explore Norgen Biotek’s innovative solutions today and take your research to the next level.
Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments.