| abstract |
Disclosed herein is a novel multi-layered, composite microporous membrane comprising in at least one layer a highly electropositive hydrophilic material distributed throughout wherein the material is capable of irreversibly binding nucleic acid and, optionally, at least one layer where the material is associated with sequence-specific peptide nucleic acids, permitting the simultaneous or sequential capture, amplification and/or identification of specific nucleic acid sequences of interest. Also disclosed herein are methods of use of the composite membranes of the invention in applications based on the sequence-specific capture and/or amplification and identification of nucleic acid from complex biological samples. |