Patent ID: 7510837

Claim:
A method of processing a biological sample, comprising the steps of: (a) combining said biological sample with a pH buffer and a detergent that lyses or disrupts biological membranes that may be present in said biological sample, whereby there is created a first liquid composition having a first pH; (b) mixing with said first liquid composition an alkaline composition, whereby there is created a second liquid composition having a second pH, wherein said alkaline composition is a solution comprising a strong base at a concentration of at least 0.1 N; wherein said second pH is at least 0.2 pH units higher than said first pH, and wherein said second pH is lower than pH 9.5; (c) capturing one or more nucleic acids from said second liquid composition onto a solid support; and (d) isolating the solid support having captured thereon any of said one or more nucleic acids.