What is a good miniprep protocol for the class room? I'm trying to find a good protocol for plasmid minipreps and I'm looking at 3 preps I've found: 1. Using phenol/chloroform * extract with phenol:chloroform:isoamylalcohol, * isopropanol precipitation, 12,000g spin down, * rinse with cold 70% ethanol. 2. Using lysozyme * lyse with lysozyme, * remove pellet, * isopropanol precipitation, * wash with cold 80% ethanol. 3. Using alkaline lysis * open cells with 80% glucose in EDTA buffer, * add SDS and NaOH, * pellet protein/membrane with acetic acid/acetate, * ispropanol precipitation, * wash with cold 70% ethanol. They all differ in how to break open the cells and separate plasmids from the rest of the cell -- quite a bit. Can anyone help me figure out which protocol is best here?

In my experience, the P:C:I method will get you higher yields, and is a bit more simple (in steps and chems involved), but as @Mad Scientist has said, phenol use might be an issue. It depends on the age of your students.