Hospital LA FE
A sustainable alternative for DNA preservation.
DNA is a naturally stable molecule that is well suited to long-term storage. However, inadequate storage makes it susceptible to degradation processes that can compromise its quality—especially when it comes to meeting the demands of new and more sensitive molecular biology techniques.
As a result, despite its supposed stability, DNA is still routinely stored in ultra-low temperature freezers, occupying between 10% and 20% of available storage capacity in biobanks and laboratories.
Objective
To compare the quality and functionality of freeze-dried DNA samples obtained from different primary sample types and evaluated for multiple downstream applications.
Materials and Methods
Samples used for the study
DNA samples
20 samples
Fresh
DNA samples
20 samples
Frozen
Procedure
Upon extraction, all starting samples are assessed using standard quality control procedures, including electrophoresis and NanoDrop analysis. Each sample is then divided into two aliquots: one aliquot is labeled and stored using the conventional method at −80 °C, while the other is labeled and freeze-dried using the S3 device. Frozen samples included in the study are first thawed prior to freeze-drying.
After completion of the lyophilization cycle and verification that a proper pellet has formed, all freeze-dried samples are stored at room temperature in the appropriate storage boxes. Following storage periods of 1, 6, and 12 months under desiccated conditions, freeze-dried samples are re-evaluated and directly compared with their corresponding frozen counterparts.
Quality Assurance
DNA fragment size
DNA Concentration
DNA integrity number
Long Reads Sequencing
All samples processed and stored under the different conditions (freeze-dried or frozen) will be analyzed simultaneously to minimize inter-assay variability. The following techniques will be used for quality assessment:
- DNA fragment size analysis using the Agilent Bioanalyzer technology.
- Quantification of double-stranded DNA using the Qubit® fluorometric quantification system.
- Assessment of DNA integrity using the Genomic DNA (gDNA) ScreenTape assay on the TapeStation system.
- Long-read sequencing to evaluate the functional performance of the DNA for downstream applications.
Results
Coming soon…
Conclusion
Coming soon…
