Automated nucleic acid isolation using the JANUS Workstation

For most genomic laboratories, extraction and purification of DNA or RNA from a variety of samples such as whole blood, blood stains, buccal swabs, serum, bacterial cultures, viruses, tissue and cultured cells is a major bottleneck. Nucleic acid processing protocols are diverse and generally separate into subgroups distinguished by differing chemistries: (1) genomic DNA from cultured cells, mouse tail clippings, other tissue and human blood, (2) RNA from cultured cells and tissue, and (3) plasmid DNA from bacterial cultures. The JANUS® Automated Workstation is capable of fully automated nucleic acid extraction from virtually any type of genomic sample.

The JANUS automated liquid handling workstation can enable:
Genomic DNA Isolation

  • QIAGEN QIAamp 96 Blood DNA – Magnetic
  • QIAGEN QIAamp 96 DNA Swab – Vacuum
  • Invitrogen ChargeSwitch gDNA Blood Kits – Pre-Coated Plates
  • Whatman® FTA® DNA Purification Kit: Stained Blood & Saliva Punches
  • Promega MagneSil® Blood Genomic – Magnet
  • Promega Slicprep™ 96 Device - Difficult-to-Extract Tissue, Swabs - Magnet
  • Invitrogen GeneCatcher™ gDNA Blood Kit – Magnet
  • Promega Wizard SV 96 Genomic DNA Purification System – Vacuum
  • MACHEREY NAGEL Nucleospin 96 Tissue HC Kit – Vacuum
  • AGOWA Maxisep 7200 Kit – Magnet

RNA Isolation

  • Promega SV 96 Total RNA Isolation System – Filtration
  • QIAGEN RNeasy Kits - Filtration
  • Ambion RNAqueous-96 Kit - Filtration
  • Ambion Poly(A) Purist Mag96 kits - Magnet
  • Ambion MEGAclear MAG-96 - Filtration
  • Ambion Cells-to-cDNA Kit – Direct Lysate

Plasmid Purification

  • Promega Wizard SV 96 Plasmid Purification System – Vacuum
  • Promega Wizard MagneSil Plasmid Purification System – Magnet
  • Invitrogen ChargeSwitch Plasmid ER Mini Kit – Magnet
  • Eppendorf Perfectprep Plasmid DNA Kit – Vacuum
  • QIAGEN QIAprep 96 Turbo Miniprep Kit – Vacuum
  • Millipore Montage®96 plasmid - Vacuum

Recommended JANUS system configurations for Nucleic Acid Isolation
Nucleic Acid Isolation

  • JANUS 2-Arm Integrator Platform with Varispan 4- or 8-tip arm and Gripper
  • VersaTip™ Plus
  • VARIOMAG Teleshake, 3 mm orbital diameter, or 4-plate IKA Shaker Option
  • Quad 105C/70C Heater Option
  • JANUS PVM Vacuum Filtration System Option
  • PerkinElmer 96-well Toroid Magnet

Combined Nucleic Acid Isolation and PCR Setup

  • Same general configuration as for NA Isolation
  • JANUS with Expanded deck platform*
  • Low Volume Disposable Tip
  • With IKA shaker option, you will need an Integrator platform with an angle bracket to ensure deep well plate access by pipettor