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An Alternative to Deep Freezing of Aquatic Ecological
Samples
RNAlater® Solution can be used
to stabilize and protect cellular RNA in intact unfrozen samples
through rapid penetration of fresh tissue and deactivation of
nucleases. Dr. Gorokhova (Stockholm University, Sweden) designed
an experiment to determine the amount of time a microcrustacean
specimen can be stored in RNAlater Solution as an alternative
to deep freezing of the sample. The study demonstrated that RNAlater Solution
successfully preserved both RNA and DNA for up to one month at
room temperature, and for up to four months at 5°C.
Preserving Aquatic Samples in the Field
Ecologists are interested in understanding
environmental factors that support plankton growth in aquatic
ecosystems. This requires the processing and analysis of a large
number of samples with low RNA and DNA content for estimating
growth and nutritional conditions for these small organisms.
Successful preservation and processing of collected samples is
therefore critical. However, deep freezing in liquid nitrogen
is not convenient for aquatic samples collected on oceanographic
cruises and remote field studies. Dr. Gorokhava tested whether
RNAlater® Tissue Collection: RNA Stabilization Solution could be used for sample preservation, instead of deep freezing
for preserving nucleic acids in brine shrimp nauplii* (Artemia
salina). Newly hatched shrimp nauplii were stored at (1)
-80°C, (2) in RNAlater Solution at 5°C, or (3) in RNAlater Solution
at room temperature.
Total cellular RNA and DNA were quantified
in individual nauplii using a fluorometric assay. RNA and DNA
yields were subsequently compared with control samples (fresh
animals assayed immediately after hatching) and among preservation
treatments to determine the longterm effects of different sample
storage techniques. Nucleic acid quantities were determined for
each preservation treatment after one, two, four, and eight months.
For both RNA and DNA yields, shrimp samples stored in RNAlater
Solution at 5°C were equivalent to those stored at -80°C
for at least four months after preservation.
The study concluded that RNAlater Solution
successfully preserved both RNA and DNA for up to one month at
room temperature, and up to four months at 5°C, suggesting
that RNAlater Solution provides reliable sample preservation
immediately upon collection. This result demonstrates that use
of RNAlater Solution for extended storage is equal to the established
gold-standard of storage at -80°C. Also, with small organisms
RNAlater Solution provides the flexibility of storing them intact.
*nauplii is a developmental stage in brine
shrimp.
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| RNAlater® Tissue Collection:
RNA Stabilization Solution |
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