Kreatech launches the first complete miRNA isolation and labeling kit

KREATECH Biotechnology is pleased to announce the release of the latest in a line of labeling kits for small RNA/miRNA analysis applications and the first complete kit for miRNA isolation and labeling, the “miRacULS miRNA Isolation and Labeling Kit”.

This kit combines the upstream isolation of the small RNA from tissue or cultured cells and the reagents necessary to label these samples for DNA microarray analysis, thereby offering a more complete solution to scientists carrying out miRNA analysis. The miRacULS miRNA Isolation and Labeling kit is available with the ULS™ labeling molecule bound to Cy3 and Cy5 dyes licensed from GE Healthcare.

“The true power of the ULS labeling technology is in its ability to directly label any and all sizes of naturally occurring nucleic acids without the need of enzymes”.

The discovery of small RNAs that have regulatory effects on gene expression has excited researchers to further elucidate and characterize the function of these molecules in molecular processes and as possible tools in drug discovery. One common way to examine these small RNAs, either siRNAs or miRNAs, is to analyze them on a microarray. Due to their small size, these RNA molecules prove very difficult to label via the enzymatic reactions common to NHS-ester chemistry. Since the ULS labeling technology is a non enzymatic labeling reaction whose labeling efficiency is completely independent of fragment size, ULS enjoys a unique advantage in that it can just as easily and efficiently label small RNA molecules as it does all nucleic acids.

The miRacULS miRNA isolation and labeling kit provides a rapid solution to isolate and label miRNAs as well as siRNAs. A 30 minute column-based isolation is followed by a one step, 15 minute, direct labeling without the need for enzymes. This kit also includes the proprietary KREApure purification columns. These columns were developed to specifically remove unreacted ULS reagent from the labeling reaction. The KREApure columns have no affinity for nucleic acids and for this reason the recovery is extremely high as fragments of all sizes flow through, making it ideal for work with miRNA samples.

“Our miRacULS miRNA isolation and labeling kit expands our product offering for microarray based miRNA and siRNA analysis. By supplying to the market the first combined isolation and labeling kit we provide our customers with convenient, rapid and reproducible kits to carry out their miRNA experiments. In the emerging field of miRNA analysis by microarray, ULS proves to be a powerful enabling tool where other enzymatic methods often fail” according to Brent Keller, General Manager of Kreatech USA and VP Commercial Operations.

KREATECH’s ULS technology relies on the special binding properties of platinum, to form coordinative bonds with biomolecules by binding to specific sites on DNA, RNA and proteins. In this way, ULS acts as relatively simple “molecular glue” for DNA, RNA and proteins. As a result of its versatility, customers have a choice of the molecular label attached to the ULS they can use to label the biomolecules of interest.

KREATECH currently commercializes labeling kits for aRNA labeling, miRNA and small RNA labeling, arrayCGH labeling, general nucleic acid labeling and recently introduced kits for protein labeling on antibody arrays.