Since 1998 Microzone has strived to provide simple solutions to complex molecular biology problems. This is evident in the innovative range of products aimed at enhancing the Scientist’s work. The free from range is no exception to this, providing a range of products that challenge longstanding perceptions held and revolutionising the way nucleic acids are extracted and purified all while reducing the environmental impact of the process.
Release bacterial DNA in minutes
The release of high-quality DNA is necessary for many downstream molecular techniques. Often extraction methods are complex, time consuming and have a negative environmental impact. Part of the ‘Free From’ range, Microzone’s lysis buffer, microLYSIS Plus, requires only a 7-minute thermal cycle to efficiently release bacterial DNA ready for downstream processing. microLYSIS Plus’s efficacy has been demonstrated with a wide array of fungi, as well as Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Pierro et al., 2025) (Lekete-Lawson et al., 2025) (Rilievo et al., 2024) (Fening et al., 2024). The whole process takes place in one tube, significantly reducing plastic waste compared to traditional extraction methods. Furthermore, the reduction in hands-on time allows labs to process many more samples in less time compared to traditional extraction methods.
Case Study - Lauren Roberts – Imperial College London
Application: Rapid bacterial identification using microLYSIS Plus.
‘I incorporated microLYSIS Plus into my bacterial isolation and identification workflow to streamline DNA extraction from pure cultures prior to PCR and sequencing. Previously, I relied on a traditional DNA extraction kit that required approximately 4 hours to process 24 samples. In contrast, microLYSIS Plus enabled me to extract DNA from 144 isolates within just a few hours. This was a great improvement over what would have previously taken three full days of laboratory work. This significant time saving was crucial for meeting a tight experimental deadline, allowing me to select and prepare appropriate samples for subsequent time-sensitive experiments.’
microLYSIS Plus allows time and resource effective bacterial identification
Lauren’s work demonstrated microLYSIS Plus’s suitability for downstream PCR, comparable amplification of the 16s rRNA gene was observed in samples extracted using microLYSIS Plus and a commercial spin-column based bacterial DNA extraction kit, in all 4 organisms tested (Prevotella bivia, Gardnerella vaginalis, Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus iners). BLAST analysis of Sanger sequencing data revealed a percentage identity of 99.63% for Gardnerella vaginalis and 100% Lactobacillus iners illustrating microLYSIS Plus’s ability to accurately identify bacteria to the species level.
Conclusion
microLYSIS Plus offers a powerful, time-saving alternative to traditional DNA extraction methods, enabling high-throughput processing without compromising on quality. Its one-tube, rapid thermal protocol not only minimizes hands-on time and plastic waste but also delivers reliable results for downstream applications like PCR and Sanger sequencing. With proven equivalency to conventional spin-column kits, microLYSIS Plus is an invaluable tool for researchers needing accurate bacterial identification under time constraints. By combining speed, simplicity, and sustainability, it sets a new standard for modern molecular workflows.
Read the full case study with data here.
