100 µm Low Binding Silica Beads, 200 gm

The 100-micron Low Binding Silica Beads are chemically treated to bind fewer solutes liberated from homogenized samples. Untreated silica and zirconium beads have surface chemistries that bind DNA, RNA, and proteins upon disruption of cells. Both enzyme and PCR-based assays have lower sensitivity when analytes are liberated using untreated beads. The 100-micron Low Binding Beads yield a greater concentration of solutes and provide greater range and linearity, especially in real-time PCR assays. Low Binding Beads are extremely prone to static electric charges.

The 100-micron Low Binding Beads are employed to homogenize fungal plant pathogens, including airborne spores of tree fungi such as the rust Austropuccinia psidii and the Ascomycetes Ceratocystis lukuohia and C. huliohia, for DNA extraction. This process aids in studying the epidemiology of these fungi to better manage the disease known as Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death.  The 100-micron Low Binding Beads are also useful for extracting DNA from insects such as the frass beetle Xyleborus spp., which vectors the tree disease and the fruit fly Drosophila including their associated bacteria.  The nucleic acids from the fruit flies and bacteria facilitate the investigation of how aging affects the intestinal absorption and excretion of amino acids in fruit flies.