The RNeasy Mini Kit allows efficient purification of total RNA from small amounts of starting material (see figure "RT-PCR of RNA from >100 cells"), up to 30 mg tissue or 1 x 107 cells. Total RNA is easily purified from animal or human cells, animal or human tissues, and yeast* (see table "Total RNA yields obtained with the RNeasy Mini Kit" and figure "High-quality RNA from a variety of samples"). Protocols are also included for vacuum processing of RNeasy Mini spin columns (see figure "RNeasy Mini spin column"), and for cleanup of partially purified RNA, in vitro transcripts, and RNA from enzymatic reactions. QIAshredder Homogenizers for convenient cell-lysate homogenization are available as an accessory.
Specifications of the RNeasy Mini Kit
| Specification | Details | ||
| Format | Mini spin columns with 1.5 ml and 2 ml collection tubes | ||
| Sample size | 10 – 1 x 107 cells 0.5–30 mg tissue ≤5 x 107 yeast cells | ||
| Preparation time | 20 minutes | ||
| Binding capacity | Up to 100 µg RNA | ||
| Yield | Varies depending on sample source. See table. | ||
| Elution volume | 30–100 µl | ||
RNeasy technology simplifies total RNA isolation by combining the stringency of guanidine-isothiocyanate lysis with the speed and purity of silica-membrane purification. There is no need for centrifugation through CsCl cushions or precipitation with LiCl or alcohol. RNeasy sample preparation technology is fully licensed, allowing RNeasy purified nucleic acids to be used in any molecular assay or other downstream application without risk of patent infringement.
RNeasy Kits provide the highest-quality RNA with minimum copurification of DNA. For certain RNA applications that are sensitive to very small amounts of DNA, the residual amounts of DNA remaining can be removed using the RNase-Free DNase Set for convenient on-column DNase treatment during the RNeasy procedure.
Total RNA yields obtained with the RNeasy Mini Kit†
| Source | Average yield (µg) |
| Animal cells LMH (1 x 106) HeLa (1 x 106) COS-7 (1 x 106) Lymphocytes (unstimulated) (1 x 106) | 12 15 35 0.5 |
| Mouse tissue Liver (10 mg) Lung (10 mg) Spleen (10 mg) | 40 10 35 |
| Yeast cells S. cerevisiae (1 x 107) | 25 |
* Lyticase, zymolase, or glass beads (required for yeast samples) are not provided.
† Amounts can vary due to developmental stage, species, growth conditions used, etc. Since the RNeasy procedure enriches for RNA species >200 nt, RNA yield does not include 5S rRNA, tRNAs, or other low-molecular-weight RNAs.
Samples are first lysed and then homogenized. Ethanol is added to the lysate to provide ideal binding conditions. The lysate is then loaded onto the RNeasy silica membrane (see figure "RNeasy Mini spin column"). RNA binds, and all contaminants are efficiently washed away. Pure, concentrated RNA is eluted in water.
RNA purified with RNeasy technology has A260/A280 ratios of 1.9–2.1 (measured in 10 mM Tris·Cl, pH 7.5) and is ideal for use in all applications. Downstream applications include:
A range of optimized kits for RNA purification from tissue samples are available. Use the ProductFinder to choose the right kit.