Qiagen gel extraction accident. - is all lost? (Jan/08/2008 )

Bugger.


I have dissolved my agarose gel, seemingly though not for long enough, or something. I have passed it through the column, washed it then when I have gone to elute it and spin it down..... nothing. Under closer inspection there is a clump of gel lodged in the matrix and above it.

The only thing I can think of doing is dumping some of the QC buffer in the column and then heading the whole thing in the hot block?

Is all lost?

Hmm...
I guess if the column is re-equilibrated with the QC buffer then the DNA will rebind to the silicon matrix. So the DNA will stay put.
And right now there is nothing much left to lose. Add the QC buffer and heat the column till the gel melts. Spin and collect the QC buffer which has eluted out. Add a bit more QC buffer to that and run the Eluted QC buffer back onto the column for a second round of DNA rebinding.

Next time don't sting on the QC buffer.