Patent ID: 7560256

Claim:
A process for detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid in a sample containing the target nucleic acid, the process comprising the automated steps of: a) at a first station, immobilizing the target nucleic acid on a magnetically responsive particle; b) subjecting the magnetically responsive particle to a magnetic field and aspirating non-immobilized components of the sample; c) transferring the target nucleic acid immobilized in step a) from the first station to a second station using a rotatable transport mechanism; d) at the second station, combining the transferred target nucleic acid of step c) and reagents for performing an amplification reaction; e) performing an amplification reaction which produces an amplification product indicative of the presence of the target nucleic acid in the sample; and f) detecting the amplification product of step e) as an indication of the presence of the target nucleic acid in the sample.