isoamyl alcohol

[Jose Luis Diaz de Leon]

Besides catching up soluble proteins (by precipitation), I think helps to 
create an interphase between Chloroform and Phenol.
Jose Luis.


On 13 Feb 1995, Marc A. Borbely wrote:

> i have looked everywhere but can't find an answer:
> why in the world is isoamyl alcohol used together with phenol and 
> chloroform for extraction of nucleic acids?
> I've asked this on sci.bio and the only response i've gotten so far was 
> that it keeps down foaming. Other people have suggested that it serves to 
> "catch"  proteins that are too hydrophilic for the organic compounds and 
> too hydrophobic for the aqueous layer.
> 
> 
>