Alkaline Lysis Neutralization (Plasmid Prep): 3M Potassium Acetate Solution (pH 4.8) neutralizes SDS/NaOH lysates of E. coli, precipitating chromosomal DNA, proteins, and SDS as potassium dodecyl sulfate to recover plasmid DNA.

Nucleic Acid Precipitation: Serves as the salt for ethanol or isopropanol precipitation of DNA/RNA, improving recovery of short fragments and oligonucleotides.

SDS Removal Prior to Protein or Enzyme Assays: Forms insoluble potassium dodecyl sulfate, enabling SDS depletion before downstream analyses.

Acetate Buffering for Acidic Enzyme Reactions: Provides a stable pH ~4.8 for enzymes that require acetate buffer in the pH 4–5 range.

Cleanup of Genomic DNA and Lysates: Aids precipitation of protein and cell debris from bacterial lysates (e.g., E. coli) to clarify samples before purification.

Silica-based DNA Binding and Cleanup: Adjusts sample pH/ionic strength to promote DNA binding to silica matrices during cleanup steps.