REDUCTION OF SIGNAL FROM CONTAMINANT NUCLEIC ACIDS

1 - 79 . (canceled)

80 . A method for inactivating contaminant nucleic acids, the method comprising:

(a) heating a nucleic acid analysis buffer, wherein the nucleic acid analysis buffer comprises contaminant nucleic acids and wherein the heating lasts for a length of time sufficient to inactivate at least a portion of the contaminant nucleic acids, thereby producing a decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer;

(b) cooling the decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer, wherein the cooling prevents a single stranded contaminant nucleic acid from base pairing with a complement; and

(c) contacting the decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer of step (b) with a sample comprising target nucleic acids.

81 . The method of claim 80 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are double-stranded nucleic acids.

82 . The method of claim 80 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are less than 75 nucleotides in length.

83 . The method of claim 80 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are derived from bacteria.

84 . The method of claim 80 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are present at a concentration of at least 0.1% of total nucleic acids prior to inactivation.

85 . The method of claim 80 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are present at a concentration of up to 0.001% after inactivation.

86 . The method of claim 80 , further comprising subjecting the decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer to nonionizing radiation.

87 . The method of claim 86 , wherein the nonionizing radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation.

88 . The method of claim 80 , further comprising subjecting the decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer to ionizing radiation.

89 . The method of claim 88 , wherein the ionizing radiation comprises gamma radiation.

90 . A method for inactivating contaminant nucleic acids in a buffer, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a nucleic acid analysis buffer, wherein the nucleic acid analysis buffer comprises: (i) a reagent that is not water and (ii) contaminant nucleic acids; and

(b) exposing the nucleic acid analysis buffer to radiation or a nuclease for a length of time sufficient to inactivate at least a portion of the contaminant nucleic acids, thereby producing a decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer.

91 . The method of claim 90 , wherein the method comprises exposing the nucleic acid analysis buffer to the radiation.

92 . The method of claim 91 , wherein the radiation comprises ionizing radiation.

93 . The method of claim 92 , wherein the ionizing radiation comprises gamma radiation.

94 . The method of claim 91 , wherein the radiation comprises nonionizing radiation.

95 . The method of claim 94 , wherein the nonionizing radiation is ultraviolet radiation.

96 . The method of claim 90 , wherein the method comprises exposing the nucleic acid analysis buffer to the nuclease, wherein the nuclease comprises an endonuclease.

97 . The method of claim 96 , wherein the endonuclease comprises RNase, or DNase.

98 . The method of claim 90 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are double-stranded nucleic acids.

99 . The method of claim 90 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are less than 75 nucleotides in length.

100 . The method of claim 90 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are derived from bacteria.

101 . The method of claim 90 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are present at a concentration of at least 0.1% of total nucleic acids prior to inactivation.

102 . The method of claim 90 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are present at a concentration of up to 0.001% after inactivation.

103 . The method of claim 90 , further comprising heating the nucleic acid analysis buffer.

104 . A method of conducting a sequencing assay, the method comprising:

(a) heating a nucleic acid analysis buffer, wherein the nucleic acid analysis buffer comprises contaminant nucleic acids and wherein the heating lasts for a length of time sufficient to inactivate at least a portion of the contaminant nucleic acids, thereby producing a decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer;

(b) contacting the decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer of step (a) with a sample comprising target nucleic acids;

(c) attaching double stranded adapters to the target nucleic acids in order to produce tagged target nucleic acids; and

(d) subjecting the tagged target nucleic acids to a sequencing assay.

105 . The method of claim 104 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are double-stranded nucleic acids.

106 . The method of claim 104 , further comprising performing an amplification reaction after attaching the double stranded adapters to the target nucleic acids.

107 . The method of claim 104 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are less than 75 nucleotides in length.

108 . The method of claim 104 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are derived from bacteria.

109 . The method of claim 104 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are present at a concentration of at least 0.1% of total nucleic acids prior to inactivation.

110 . The method of claim 104 , wherein the contaminant nucleic acids are present at a concentration of up to 0.001% after inactivation.

111 . The method of claim 104 , further comprising subjecting the decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer to nonionizing radiation.

112 . The method of claim 111 , wherein the nonionizing radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation.

113 . The method of claim 104 , further comprising subjecting the decontaminated nucleic acid analysis buffer to ionizing radiation.

114 . The method of claim 113 , wherein the ionizing radiation comprises gamma radiation.