Will you be in Boston? Stop by the DPX booth #2620 to get copies of the latest application notes and learn more about our INTip methods for DNA purification and cleanup.

NiXTips® from DPX Technologies offer a streamlined alternative to magnetic bead-based methods by integrating proprietary silica media directly into automation compatible pipette tips for nucleic acid extraction, cleanup, and size selection suitable for NGS library preparation. This approach enables a simple bind–wash–elute workflow performed within the NiXTip without beads, magnets, or additional hardware. Unlike magnetic beads which require careful resuspension, magnet-based pelleting, and cold storage, NiXTips are handled like standard consumables, making them ideal for high-throughput automation. NiXTips eliminate issues such as bead carryover and laborious bead-based method optimization while reducing overall pipette tip waste. Additionally, NiXTips support rapid processing in 96 or 384 formats compatible with many automated liquid handling platforms.

At present, automated next-generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation workflows predominantly rely on superparamagnetic beads and plate-based magnets for sample cleanup and fragment size-selection. A typical bead-based cleanup method requires six pipette tips per sample, a labware transport mechanism, and fine-tuning of pipetting heights to ensure complete supernatant removal from pelleted beads. NiXTips contain immobilized silica media within robotic pipette tips and offer an automated bead-free alternative for cleanup and size-selection.

High-quality genomic DNA (gDNA) is critical for downstream molecular biology and genomic applications. While magnetic bead technology has been widely adopted for gDNA extractions, bead capture time, bead carryover, bead resuspension and requirements for magnets complicate the process. Increasing demands for consistency and automation have driven the development of more streamlined extraction solutions. DPX Technologies’ patent-pending NiXTips® address these challenges. Designed for automated liquid handlers, NiXTips enable fully automated isolation of high-quality gDNA from whole blood. The proprietary microporous media integrates bind, wash, and elute steps within a single pipette tip, reducing consumable use, minimizing contamination risk, and supporting high-throughput processing. We evaluated 1 mL Hamilton NiXTips for automated gDNA isolation from human whole blood. Results demonstrate reproducible recovery of pure, high-molecular-weight gDNA across variable blood inputs with minimal user intervention, highlighting NiXTips as a scalable alternative to bead-based methods.