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Storage by lyophilization - Resulting RNA quality is tissue dependent
Erin L Damsteegt1, Nicky McHugh1, P Mark Lokman1
1Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
Analytical Biochemistry
|August 13, 2016
Summary
Lyophilization effectively preserves animal tissue samples for global transport. RNA integrity remains largely intact after lyophilization and storage, supporting its use in biological research.
Area of Science:
- Biological sciences
- Zoology
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Global scientific collaboration necessitates reliable biological sample transport.
- Lyophilization offers a cost-effective, chemical-free preservation method for animal tissues.
- Its application for long-range tissue transport remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of lyophilization and storage on RNA integrity in eel tissues.
- To determine if RNA integrity changes affect downstream gene expression analysis.
Main Methods:
- Eel tissues (liver, spleen, ovary) were subjected to freezing, freezing and lyophilization, or freezing, lyophilization, and ambient storage.
- RNA integrity was evaluated post-treatment.
- Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to assess transcript copy numbers of target genes.
Main Results:
- Minor reductions in RNA integrity were observed in lyophilized and stored samples compared to fresh or non-stored lyophilized samples.
- Ovary tissue, with higher lipid content, showed the most significant RNA integrity reduction.
- Despite minor integrity drops, qPCR results for target genes remained unaffected.
Conclusions:
- Lyophilization is a viable method for shipping animal tissue samples globally.
- This technique can maintain sufficient RNA quality for accurate gene expression analysis.
- The findings support broader adoption of lyophilization in biological research and sample sharing.
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