RNAlater, Ambion's Tissue Collection: RNA Stabilization Solution, is a buffer designed for preserving RNA within tissue or cells, thus stabilizing RNA at ambient temperature, 4°C, or -20°C for prolonged periods of time. RNAlater has logged thousands of miles accompanying researchers to remote areas where the use of liquid nitrogen and dry ice for tissue preservation are impractical. In this article, RNAlater is "taken out to pasture" for use on tissue biopsies from lambs.

Studying Mutant Muscles

Dr. Tracy Shay of Utah State University in Logan, UT is investigating the condition know as callipyge in sheep. Animals displaying this condition have enlarged muscle groups in their hindquarters, but it is not known whether or not this is due to an uncharacterized gene, or to a mutation of a known gene. Both paternal and maternal alleles are evidently critical in the appearance of this phenotype. Gene expression analysis is being done to find out what causes callipyge.

Tissues (from affected and nonaffected muscle groups, as well as from heart, tongue, adipose, kidney and lung) were collected in the open pasture, cut into small pieces (0.5 cm on a side) and were placed into RNAlater. The tissues were kept at 4°C for a few days before placing them at -20°C. Since Dr. Shay has collaborators in Belgium and Indiana, samples stored in RNAlater are frequently divided three ways and shipped on wet ice, cutting costs and enhancing convenience.

What's Your Application?

RNAlater has had many interesting uses over the years, and now, it's helping scientists discover what genetic mechanisms are responsible for callipyge. Dr. Shay, thank you for your contribution to this column! Who else has an interesting RNAlater application about which we can write? Please contact Ambion Technical Service by phone or e-mail.

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