Process for manufacturing a composite sorbent material for chormatographical separation of biopolymers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sorbent material for separation and purification of biopolymers, particularly nucleic acids, having a solid support substantially modified with a copolymer coating comprising aromatic monomers and crosslinking compounds and unsaturated esters or ethers preferably attached to the support via a vinylchlorsilane. The use of these materials for separation of nucleic acids, particularly a one-step isolation of DNA from lysates of different biological sources, is an object of the invention as well as a chromatographic column or cartridge at least partially filled with the sorbent material of the invention, a membrane-like device comprising the sorbent material of the invention, and a kit comprising the sorbent material of the invention in bulk or packed in chromatographic devices as well as other devices necessary for performing sample preparations.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A process for the purification and/or isolation of nucleic acids wherein the process comprises:
 lysing cells yielding a sample containing nucleic acids and proteins,   contacting the sample with a sorbent material binding the proteins, and   collecting the eluate containing the nucleic acids;   with the proviso that the sorbent material comprises a support which is at least partially covered by a polymer coating having the general formula   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         obtainable by a process comprising the steps of: 
         modifying the support with a vinylchlorsilane, followed by addition of 
         a) at least one unsubstituted or substituted styrene or vinylnaphthalene [A] of general formula 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         (b) at least one cross-linkable unsubstituted or substituted (1,4 or 1,2)-divinylbenzene [B] of general formula 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         c) optionally a non-saturated carboxylic acid or alkyl, aryl or hydroxylalkyl ester thereof (M) of general formula 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         respectively a non-saturated alcohol or ether of general formula 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         polymerising the copolymer composition, 
         removing unreacted material, and 
         recovering and drying the sorbent material. 
       
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the support is a porous inorganic material selected from the group comprising inorganic metal oxides, such as oxides of aluminum, titanium, zirconium, silicon, oxides, iron oxides, controlled pore glass (CPG), diatomaceous earth and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24  wherein the porous inorganic metal oxides show a bidisperse distribution of the pore sizes, preferably with mean pore diameters in the range of 2-15 nm for the smaller pore size and 20-100 nm for the larger pore size. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the support has an average pore size of 2-200 nm, preferably 2-100 nm and a specific surface of 20-300 m 2 /g, preferably 20-100 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the polymer coating has a thickness of about 10 to 250 Angstrom, preferably 10 to 100 Angstrom and micropores of less than 50 accessible to water, salts, and low molecular weight substances, the polymer coating being non-adsorptive towards nucleic acids and adsorptive towards proteins. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the mass ratio of copolymer components [A], [B], and [M] complies with the formula [A]:[B]:[M]=1:0.03-0.30:0-0.2.