Mini Leaf Crusher

Used in combination with its unique BioSpec DNA Sample Card™, the intracellular contents of leaves, stems, and root tissue are crushed by clamping at thousands of pounds per inch².  The released cell extract is immediately captured and stabilized on special cellulose filter paper located within the compact Sample Card.  Multiple samples can be
collected in a day and no preservatives or low-temperature storage is required for transit of the card(s) to the laboratory for subsequent RNA or DNA analysis.

Using published techniques, the bound nucleic acids can then be extracted in minutes from the special filter paper in the Card in a purified state ready for direct application in downstream PCR-based methodologies or genome sequencing.

Besides DNA, other intercellular biochemicals of leaves such as RNA, proteins, and pathogens can also be collected and preserved for remote analysis in the Mini Leaf Crusher™ Sample Card.  The “Mini Leaf Crusher” method can also be applied to extract proteins and nucleic acids from insects,  Most fresh animal tissue samples, however, do not “crush” with this tool due to their high cell wall flexibility.  Without using the Mini Leaf Crusher tool, the DNA Sample Card can be used to stabilize and transport microliter quantities of bodily fluids (blood, sputum, urine), liquified suspensions of biological/environmental material (faeces, lake mud), processed foods, and animal tissues pre-homogenised by other preferred methods.

A plant leaf is placed within the folds of the BioSpec DNA Sample Card^tm and the loaded Sample Card is magnetically docked between the jaws of the Mini Leaf Crusher. 

Manually tightening the Leaf Crusher generates a crushing force in excess of 1000 lbs/in² on a quarter-inch diameter circular section of the plant leaf. The crushed plant cells are totally disrupted and the resultant cell lysate is captured on the cellulose filter paper located inside the Sample Card. The leaf is discarded and the Sample Card is folded closed and placed in a provided zip-lock polybag containing a pouch of desiccant.

DNA punches can be used with lysofast for rapid DNA & RNA extraction from leaf punches.

The sample extract, now preserved in a dried and stabilised state, is ready to be sent to dnature for PCR testing.