Patent ID: 7670768

Claim:
A process for characterizing DNA comprising a step of isolating nucleic acids comprising (a) lysing a cell in a biological material that contains DNA; (b) treating the biological material with a DNA purifying agent reagent to purify the DNA from remaining biological material; and (c) characterizing the purified DNA; wherein the step of lysing the cell (a) comprises: contacting the biological material that contains DNA with a solid support having dried thereon a lysing reagent and a RNA digesting enzyme, wherein the lysing reagent consists of a detergent, optionally water, optionally a buffer, and optionally a chelating agent and wherein the lysing reagent is of a type suitable to preserve the RNA digesting function of the RNA digesting enzyme and is used in an amount suitable to cause lysis of the cell to release DNA from the biological material and wherein the cell and/or the biological material can optionally additionally be treated with at least one of a red blood cell lysing reagent, a cell suspension agent, a lytic enzyme reagent, and/or a protein digesting agent.