
- Be gentle; do not vortex or mix vigorously to ensure that the beads stay attached to the organisms
- The resuspensions may be pipette mixed gently to ensure complete transfer
- Rinse the flat-side and bottom of the Leighton tube
- Avoid any debris on the rounded-side of the tube
- Allow the Leighton tube to sit for at least 1 minute to allow any remaining liquid to drain to the bottom; transfer to the microcentrifuge tube
- Tubes larger than 1.5 mL may be used
- Use low-retention, low-binding, or siliconized tubes
- Placing the magnet in the vertical position while transferring the sample aids in efficient separation of the sample
This is an important transfer – all of the bead-organism complexes must be moved from the Leighton tube to the microcentrifuge tube to ensure high and consistent recoveries.