Microfluidic Tools for DNA Analysis - DNA Nanotechnology: From Structure to Function - page 124

Fig. 7.10 FTA membrane-incorporated LAMP cassette. ( a ) Photograph of the microfluidic
cassette with an integrated FTA membrane; ( b ) amplified view of the reaction chamber without
the FTA membrane; ( c ) amplified view of the reaction chamber with the installed FTA membrane
(Reproduced from Ref. [ 50 ] with permission of The Royal Society of Chemistry)
Other methods without complicated or expensive microfabrication for pretreat-
ment of samples for nucleic acids analysis have emerged in recent years. Bau and
coworkers reported an alternative that incorporated an FTA (Flinders Technology
Associates) membrane (containing chemicals that lyse cells, denature proteins, and
protect nucleic acids from nucleases, oxidative, and UV damage, which can be used
to capture nucleic acids in one easy step, and the captured nucleic acids can be
stored at room temperature for years) into the amplification chamber to isolate,
concentrate, and purify the DNA and/or RNA from saliva (Fig. 7.10 )[ 50 ]. They
filtered the saliva sample through the FTA membrane from the bottom compartment
to the top compartment. The membrane could bind nucleic acids contained in the
sample, and the nucleic acids can be used as template for amplification without
further elution. This design greatly simplified chip design and flow control.