Sample to Insight__
July 2018
Quick-Start Protocol
QIAquick® Gel Extraction Kit
QIAquick® PCR & Gel Cleanup Kit
The QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit and the QIAquick PCR & Gel Cleanup Kit (cat. nos. 28704,
28706, 28506 and 28115) can be stored at room temperature (15–25°C) for up to
12 months.
Further information
 QIAquick Spin Handbook: www.qiagen.com/HB-1196
 Safety Data Sheets: www.qiagen.com/safety
 Technical assistance: support.qiagen.com
Notes before starting
 This protocol is for the purification of up to 10 μg DNA (70 bp to 10 kb).
 The yellow color of Buffer QG indicates a pH ≤7.5. DNA adsorption to the membrane is
only efficient at pH ≤7.5.
 Add ethanol (96–100%) to Buffer PE before use (see bottle label for volume).
 Isopropanol (100%) and a heating block or water bath at 50°C are required.
 All centrifugation steps are carried out at 17,900 x g (13,000 rpm) in a conventional
table-top microcentrifuge.
1. Excise the DNA fragment from the agarose gel with a clean, sharp scalpel.
2. Weigh the gel slice in a colorless tube. Add 3 volumes Buffer QG to 1 volume gel
(100 mg gel ~100 μl). The maximum amount of gel per spin column is 400 mg.
For >2% agarose gels, add 6 volumes Buffer QG.
3. Incubate at 50°C for 10 min (or until the gel slice has completely dissolved). Vortex the
tube every 2–3 min to help dissolve gel. After the gel slice has dissolved completely,
check that the color of the mixture is yellow (similar to Buffer QG without dissolved
agarose). If the color of the mixture is orange or violet, add 10 μl 3 M sodium acetate,
pH 5.0, and mix. The mixture turns yellow.
4. Add 1 gel volume isopropanol to the sample and mix.
5. Place a QIAquick spin column in a provided 2 ml collection tube or into a vacuum
manifold. To bind DNA, apply the sample to the QIAquick column and centrifuge for
1 min or apply vacuum to the manifold until all the samples have passed through the
column. Discard flow-through and place the QIAquick column back into the same tube.
For sample volumes >800 μl, load and spin/apply vacuum again.
6. If DNA will subsequently be used for sequencing, in vitro transcription, or microinjection,
add 500 μl Buffer QG to the QIAquick column and centrifuge for 1 min or apply vacuum.
Discard flow-through and place the QIAquick column back into the same tube.
7. To wash, add 750 μl Buffer PE to QIAquick column and centrifuge for 1 min or apply
vacuum. Discard flow-through and place the QIAquick column back into the same tube.
Note: If the DNA will be used for salt-sensitive applications (e.g., sequencing, bluntended ligation), let the column stand 2–5 min after addition of Buffer PE.
Centrifuge the QIAquick column in the provided 2 ml collection tube for 1 min to remove
residual wash buffer.
8. Place QIAquick column into a clean 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tube.
9. To elute DNA, add 50 μl Buffer EB (10 mM Tris·Cl, pH 8.5) or water to the center of the
QIAquick membrane and centrifuge the column for 1 min. For increased DNA
concentration, add 30 μl Buffer EB to the center of the QIAquick membrane, let the
column stand for 1 min, and then centrifuge for 1 min. After the addition of Buffer EB to
the QIAquick membrane, increasing the incubation time to up to 4 min can increase the
yield of purified DNA.
10. If purified DNA is to be analyzed on a gel, add 1 volume of Loading Dye to 5 volumes
of purified DNA. Mix the solution by pipetting up and down before loading the gel.
Revision History

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For up-to-date licensing information and product-specific disclaimers, see the respective
QIAGEN kit handbook or user manual.
Trademarks: QIAGEN®, Sample to Insight®, QIAquick® (QIAGEN Group). 1114358 07/2018 HB-0901-003 © 2018 QIAGEN, all rights reserved.
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