Three different commercially available Whatman® cards with specific properties for sample collection, storage capacity, and costs were selected for comparative performance purposes: Whatman® Classic Cards, FTA® Elute Micro Cards, and 903 Protein Saver Cards (GE Healthcare Ltd., Cardiff, UK) (Table 1 ).
Whatman® FTA® Classic Cards contains chemical denaturants and a free radical scavenger that have the ability to lyse cells on contact, denature proteins, and protect DNA from degradation. The extracted DNA remains tightly bound to the matrix while cell membranes and organelles are lysed and proteins and inhibitors are washed away [26 ]. FTA® Elute Micro Cards contains a chaotropic salt. Cells are lysed upon contact and proteins remain tightly bound while DNA is isolated from the matrix in a solution free of inhibitors with a simple water elution procedure [27 ]. Whatman® 903 Protein saver Card is an untreated cotton fibber-based matrix. It does not stabilise nor protect DNA from degradation.
Whatman® FTA® Classic Cards contains chemical denaturants and a free radical scavenger that have the ability to lyse cells on contact, denature proteins, and protect DNA from degradation. The extracted DNA remains tightly bound to the matrix while cell membranes and organelles are lysed and proteins and inhibitors are washed away [26 ]. FTA® Elute Micro Cards contains a chaotropic salt. Cells are lysed upon contact and proteins remain tightly bound while DNA is isolated from the matrix in a solution free of inhibitors with a simple water elution procedure [27 ]. Whatman® 903 Protein saver Card is an untreated cotton fibber-based matrix. It does not stabilise nor protect DNA from degradation.