Method to isolate DNA

1. A method for isolating DNA from a biological sample comprising animal cells comprising the following sequential steps:

(a) separating the cells comprising DNA from the remainder of the biological sample;

(b) contacting the separated cells comprising DNA of step (a) with a hypertonic, high salt reagent having a concentration of salt therein so as to form a suspension of said biological cells;

(c) contacting the suspension of step (b) with a lysis reagent so as to lyse the biological material containing DNA to form a lysate comprising DNA and non-DNA biological components of the biological material, wherein the hypertonic, high salt reagent in step (b) comprises salt in an amount effective to precipitate proteins out of the lysate; and

(d) separating the DNA from the non-DNA biological components of the lysate of step (c) to yield isolated DNA.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is selected from the group consisting of animal tissue, cultured animal cells, blood cells, and body fluids.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is a bone marrow sample.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is whole blood.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the non-DNA biological component is selected from the group consisting of proteins, lipids, RNA, and carbohydrates.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the salt is selected from the group consisting of soluble sodium, ammonium, or potassium salts.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the salt is greater than 1 M.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the salt is greater than 2 M.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lysis reagent comprises a detergent.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lysis reagent comprises an anionic detergent.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the anionic detergent is chosen from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and lithium salts of dodecyl sulfate.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the concentration of the anionic detergent is greater than 0.1% w/v based on the volume of the lysis reagent.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lysis reagent further contains an RNase solution.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of separating the DNA from the lysate further comprises physically precipitating non-DNA biological components from the lysate without the use of any additional reagents, to yield a non-DNA precipitate, and a solution containing DNA.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of separating the DNA from the lysate further comprises centrifuging the lysate.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising contacting said solution containing DNA with an alcohol to yield a precipitate comprising isolated DNA.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising contacting the isolated DNA with a wash solution.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the isolated DNA is treated with a hydration reagent.

19. A method for isolating DNA from a biological sample comprising red blood cells and white blood cells comprising the following sequential steps:

(a) contacting the biological sample with a red blood lysis reagent to lyse the red blood cells;

(b) separating the white blood cells from the lysed red blood cells;

(c) contacting the white blood cells with a hypertonic, high-salt reagent having a concentration of salt therein to suspend the white blood cells in a solution of said hypertonic, high-salt reagent;

(d) subsequently contacting the white blood cells of step (c) with a lysis reagent so as to lyse the biological material containing DNA to form a lysate containing DNA and non-DNA cellular material, wherein the hypertonic, high salt reagent in step (c) comprises salt in an amount effective to precipitate proteins out of the lysate; and

(e) separating the DNA from non-DNA cellular material of the lysate to yield isolated DNA.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the biological sample is selected from the group consisting of blood cells and body fluids.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the biological sample is a bone marrow sample.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the biological sample is whole blood.

23. The method of claim 19 , where the non-DNA biological component is selected from the group consisting of proteins, lipids, RNA, and carbohydrates.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the salt is selected from the group consisting of soluble sodium, ammonium, or potassium salts.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the concentration of the salt is greater than 1 M.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein the concentration of the salt is greater than 2 M.

27. The method of claim 19 , wherein the lysis reagent comprises a detergent.

28. The method of claim 19 , wherein the lysis reagent comprises an anionic detergent.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the anionic detergent is chosen from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and lithium salts of dodecyl sulfate.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the concentration of the anionic detergent is greater than 0.1% w/v based on the volume of the lysis reagent.

31. The method of claim 19 , wherein the lysis reagent further contains an RNase solution.

32. The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of separating the DNA from the lysate further comprises physically precipitating non-DNA biological components from the lysate without the use of any additional reagents, to yield a non-DNA precipitate, and a solution containing DNA.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the step of separating the DNA from the lysate further comprises centrifuging the lysate.

34. The method of claim 32 , further comprising contacting said solution containing DNA with an alcohol to yield a precipitate comprising isolated DNA.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising contacting the isolated DNA with a wash solution.

36. The method of claim 34 , wherein the isolated DNA is treated with a hydration reagent.

37. A method for isolating DNA from a biological sample comprising microbial cells comprising the following sequential steps:

(a) separating the cells comprising DNA from the remainder of the biological sample;

(b) contacting the separated cells comprising DNA of step (a) with a hypertonic, high salt reagent having a concentration of salt therein so as to form a suspension of said biological cells;

(c) contacting the suspension of step (b) with a lysis reagent so as to lyse the biological material containing DNA to form a lysate comprising DNA and non-DNA biological components of the biological material, wherein the hypertonic, high salt reagent in step (b) comprises salt in an amount effective to precipitate proteins out of the lysate; and

(d) separating the DNA from the non-DNA biological components of the lysate of step (c) to yield isolated DNA.

38. The method of claim 37 , wherein said microbial cells are bacterial cells.