Nuclease-free Buffers and Reagents

While many researchers continue to store oligonucleotides in water, resuspension in a buffered solution such as TE is recommended. DNA oligonucleotides can be damaged by prolonged incubation or storage in even mildly acidic solutions; DNA dissolved in distilled water will often have a final pH < 5.0 and is at risk for depurination. RNA will degrade in alkaline conditions. Further, single-stranded nucleic acids can easily be degraded by trace contamination with a variety of nucleases that are common contaminants in a normal laboratory environment. Any solution used to resuspend and store DNA or RNA should be nuclease-free. It is recommended that stock oligo solutions be made at high concentration and stored frozen. More dilute working solutions can be made from the stocks at intervals as needed.

The following solutions are for resuspension and dilution of oligos. Solutions are guaranteed to be nuclease-free. Each lot is tested using our RNaseAlert^TM and DNaseAlert^TM reagents to document the absence of any detectable nuclease activity. Water is DEPC-Free. Individual lots are screened for endotoxins using a Limulis Abocyte Lysate (LAL) assay.

IDTE (10 mM Tris, pH 7.5 or 8.0, 0.1 mM EDTA)

A 1x TE buffer for initial resuspension and storage of DNA oligos.

Nuclease Decontamination Solution

Many RNases and DNases are naturally found in the environment. Further, a variety of nucleases are employed in routine molecular biology methods and can accidentally contaminate lab surfaces at very high levels. In particular, RNases can be very difficult to eliminate and can cause damage to projects that require manipulations of intact RNA samples, such as functional genomics experiments, real-time quantitative PCR, microarrays, etc.

Nuclease Decontamination Solution irreversibly inactivates nucleases and can be applied to most lab surfaces to remove nuclease contamination. Just spray, rinse and let dry. Nuclease Decontamination Solution eliminates the need to bake glassware and can be applied to plastic surfaces which are difficult to sterilize.

Duplex Buffer (30 mM Hepes, pH 7.5, 100 mM Potassium Acetate)

For initial resuspension, annealing and storage of duplex RNAi products.

Nuclease-free Water (DEPC-Free)

For initial resuspension and storage of single-stranded RNA oligos. Also suitable for making dilute working solutions from stock oligos.

Place an Order Now