The NucleoSpin Soil kit is designed for the isolation of high molecular weight genomic DNA found in soil, sludge, sediment and stool samples and can be used to quantify and detect microorganisms from environmental samples using downstream applications such as PCR, real-time PCR, Southern blotting, and microarray technology. Total DNA from different starting materials was purified using the two different lysis buffers SL1 and SL2 with and without Enhancer SX. Yield and purity were tabulated for potting soil, river sediment, forest soil and crop soil. We also compared to competitor kits and showed that NucleoSpin Soil outperforms competitors in yield and purity.
Product overview
Rapid isolation of DNA from diverse soil types
| Technology | Silica-membrane technology |
| Format | Mini spin columns |
| Sample material | < 500 mg soil, sludge, or sediment |
| Typical yield | 2–10 µg (500 mg soil) |
| Elution volume | 30–100 µl |
| Preparation time | 90 min/10 preps |
| Binding capacity | 50 µg |
-
Two alternative lysis buffers and a special additive (Enhancer SX) for optimal processing of various soil samples—optimal lysis for your application
-
MN bead tubes with ceramic beads for highly efficient mechanical cell disruption of e.g. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, archaea, yeast, fungi, and algae
-
DNA isolation from soil, sludge,or sediment
-
NucleoSpin Inhibitor Removal Column to eliminate all PCR inhibitors, such as humic substances - DNA is ready-to-use for PCR without dilution
- For high-throughput applications, please refer to the NucleoSpin 8/96 Soil product overview page
Introduction
Results
Alternative lysis systems - select the lysis system most suitable for your sample
Figure 1. Upper panel: Total DNA from different starting materials was purified with NucleoSpin Soil using the two different lysis buffers SL1 and SL2. Both lysis buffers were used with and without Enhancer SX (thus the kit includes four different lysis options in total). Lower panel: Total DNA from potting soil, river sediment, forest soil, and cropping soil was purified with NucleoSpin Soil (MN) using the optimal lysis buffer system (see upper panel) and two competitor kits MP and MO.
Figure 2. Tabular overview of yield and purity for all samples shown in Figure 1.
NucleoSpin Soil outperforms competitors in yield and purity
Figure 3. Total DNA from forest soil was purified with NucleoSpin Soil (MN) and competitor kits (MP and MO). Compared to the very low yield of competitor MO, the DNA purified with NucleoSpin Soil exhibits a UV-VIS spectrum of pure DNA with a maximum absorption at 260 nm and an ideal A260/A230 ratio of 1.90 (Panel A). DNA purified by competitor MP shows a significant increase in absorption below 260 nm indicating massive copurification of humic substances (A260/A230 ratio of 0.58) which is additionally shown by its colored eluate (Panel B). Thus, most of the absorption at 260 nm is caused by impurities. DNA quantification based on an A260 measurement highly overestimates the real DNA yield (see DNA on the agarose gel as a comparison).
Complete removal of PCR inhibitors – PCR amplification even from undiluted eluates
Figure 4. DNA was purified with NucleoSpin Soil using Lysis Buffers SL1 and SL2 with and without Enhancer SX as well as with kits from competitor MP and MO. Then, 2 μl of undiluted eluate were used as PCR template with fungi-specific internal transcribed spacer (ITS) primers. Competitor MP failed to yield DNA pure enough to be used undiluted. DNA and inhibitor concentration were both low for competitor MO, but the PCR from river sediment samples was still strongly inhibited. With NucleoSpin Soil there were at least two conditions for each soil type yielding plenty of DNA and working undiluted in PCR.
Conclusions
- Nucleospin Soil provides higher purity and higher yield of genomic DNA from a variety of soil sample types.
- Two different lysis buffers allow for fine tuning leading to maximum yield and purity.
- Ceramic beads are included for highly efficient mechanical cell disruption.
- NucleoSpin Inhibitor Removal Columns and efficient wash buffers will eliminate PCR inhibitors so the purified DNA can be used undiluted as a PCR template leading to high sensitivity even for rare targets.
Methods
Loading related products...
Takara Bio USA, Inc.
United States/Canada: +1.800.662.2566 • Asia Pacific: +1.650.919.7300 • Europe: +33.(0)1.3904.6880 • Japan: +81.(0)77.565.6999
FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY. NOT FOR USE IN DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES. © 2026 Takara Bio Inc. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks are the property of Takara Bio Inc. or its affiliate(s) in the U.S. and/or other countries or their respective owners. Certain trademarks may not be registered in all jurisdictions. Additional product, intellectual property, and restricted use information is available at takarabio.com.
