FAQ: My lysate is viscous; how can I resolve this?

A viscous lysate results from an abundance of DNA released by the Lysis Reagent. Add 200-2000 U/mL Micrococcal Nuclease (NEB #M0247S) or 10-100 U/mL DNase I (NEB #M0303) in the presence of 1mM CaCl2. It’s recommended to perform a small-scale lysis test with the Lysis Reagent to determine whether Micrococcal Nuclease or DNase I are necessary followed by scale up. NEB’s DNase I is fused to maltose-binding protein (MBP), making its removal via amylose resin (NEB #E8021), amylose resin high flow (NEB #E8022), or amylose magnetic beads (NEB #E8035) simple and effective.