Claims
- 1. A method of preserving RNA comprising:
(i) obtaining an RNA-containing sample; and (ii) treating the sample with an RNA preservation medium that infiltrates the sample and protects the RNA from nucleases.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RNA preservation medium precipitates the RNA in the sample along with cellular protein in the sample and renders the RNA inaccessible to nucleases.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the RNA preservation medium comprises a salt.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the salt is a sulfate salt.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the salt is ammonium sulfate.
- 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the salt is present in a concentration between 20 g/100 ml and the saturating concentration of the salt.
- 7. The method of claim 3, wherein the salt is ammonium sulfate in a concentration of between 30 g/100 ml and 80 g/100 ml.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the RNA preservation medium comprises a combination of at least two salts.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the total salt concentration is between 20 g/100 ml and 100 g/100 ml.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the RNA preservation medium comprises a chelator of divalent cations.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the RNA preservation medium comprises a buffer.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the RNA preservation medium has a pH of between 4 and 8.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a suspension of cells.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a solid tissue sample.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a blood sample.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a water sample.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample comprises an entire organism.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the organism is a pathogen within a tissue sample or other organism.
- 19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of isolating the preserved RNA.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the RNA is isolated at a temperature that is greater than −20° C.
- 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the sample is stored prior to the isolation of the RNA.
- 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the tissue is stored unfrozen at −20° C. to 45° C.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the sample is stored at greater than 0° C.
- 24. A kit for preserving RNA within a sample and isolating the RNA from the sample comprising:
(i) an RNA preservation medium that infiltrates the sample and protects the RNA from nucleases; and (ii) a reagent for performing an RNA extraction from the sample.
- 25. The kit of claim 24, wherein the reagent for performing an RNA extraction is a reagent for performing a guanidinium-based RNA extraction.
- 26. The kit of claim 24, wherein the reagent for performing an RNA extraction is a reagent for performing a lithium chloride-based RNA extraction.
- 27. An RNA preservation medium that comprises a sulfate salt.
- 28. The RNA preservation medium of claim 27, wherein the sulfate salt is ammonium sulfate.
- 29. The RNA preservation medium of claim 27, wherein the sulfate salt is present in a concentration between 20 g/100 ml and the saturating concentration of the salt.
- 30. The RNA preservation medium of claim 27, wherein the sulfate salt is ammonium sulfate at a concentration of between 20 g/100 ml and 100 g/100 ml.
- 31. The RNA preservation medium of claim 27, comprising a combination of at least two salts.
- 32. The RNA preservation medium of claim 31, wherein the total salt concentration is between 20 g/100 ml and 100 g/100 ml.
- 33. The RNA preservation medium of claim 27, comprising an organic solvent.
- 34. The RNA preservation medium of claim 27, comprising a chelator of divalent cations.
- 35. The RNA preservation medium of claim 27, comprising a buffer.
- 36. The RNA preservation medium of claim 27, having a pH of between 4 and 8.
- 37. A method of preserving RNA comprising:
(i) obtaining an RNA-containing sample; (ii) providing a salt; and (iii) admixing the sample and the salt in a liquid to form an RNA preservation composition that infiltrates the sample and protects the RNA from nucleases.
- 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the sample is comprised in the liquid prior to admixing the sample with the salt.
- 39. The method of claim 37, wherein the sample is a blood cell and the liquid is blood serum.
- 40. The method of claim 37, wherein the liquid is water.
- 41. The method of claim 37, wherein the liquid is a buffer.
- 42. The method of claim 37, wherein the salt is in a solid form prior to admixing with the sample and the liquid.
- 43. The method of claim 37, wherein the salt is comprised in the liquid prior to admixing the sample with the salt.
- 44. The method of claim 37, wherein the salt is a sulfate salt.
- 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the salt is ammonium sulfate.
- 46. The method of claim 37, wherein the salt is present in solution at a final concentration of between 20 g/100 mL and the saturating concentration of the salt.
- 47. The method of claim 46, wherein the salt is present in solution at a final concentration of between 30 g/100 mL and 80 g/100 mL.
- 48. The method of claim 37, wherein the RNA preservation composition comprises at least two salts.
- 49. The method of claim 48, wherein the total salt concentration is present in solution at a final concentration of between 20 g/100 mL and 100 g/100 mL.
- 50. The method of claim 37, wherein the RNA preservation composition comprises a chelator of divalent cations.
- 51. The method of claim 37, wherein said RNA preservation composition comprises a buffer.
- 52. The method of claim 51, wherein said buffer has a pH between 4 and 8.
- 53. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of isolating the preserved RNA.
- 54. The method of claim 53, wherein the RNA is isolated at a temperature that is greater than −20° C.
- 55. The method of claim 53, wherein the sample is stored prior to the isolation of the RNA.
- 56. The method of claim 55, wherein the sample is stored at temperatures greater than 0° C.
- 57. A composition of matter comprising an RNA-containing sample, a liquid, and a salt in a concentration sufficient to protect the RNA from nucleases.
- 58. The composition of claim 57, wherein the salt is a sulfate salt.
- 59. The composition of claim 58, wherein the sulfate salt is ammonium sulfate.
- 60. The composition of claim 57, comprising a combination of at least two salts.
- 61. The composition of claim 57, comprising a buffer.
- 62. The composition of claim 61, having a pH between 4 and 8.
- 63. The composition of claim 57, comprising a chelator of divalent cations.
Parent Case Info
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/127,435 filed Jul. 31, 1998. The entire text of each of the above-referenced disclosure is specifically incorporated by reference herein without disclaimer.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/US99/17375 |
Jul 1999 |
US |
Child |
09771256 |
Jan 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09127435 |
Jul 1998 |
US |
Child |
PCT/US99/17375 |
Jul 1999 |
US |