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Saline-Saturated DMSO-EDTA as a Storage Medium for Microbial DNA Analysis from Coral Mucus Swab Samples

Saline-Saturated DMSO-EDTA as a Storage Medium for Microbial DNA Analysis from Coral Mucus Swab Samples

Culture-independent methods for studying the microbial community of the coral surface mucopolysaccaride layer (SML) increasingly have been used to evaluate the health of the animal host.  After the initial collection and preservation of the sample, the duration of the sample voyage to a recipient laboratory is often another critical part of the sampling process, as unanticipated delays may exceed the length of time a dry shipper can remain cold, or mishandling of the shipper can cause it to exhaust prematurely.  In remote areas, service by international shipping companies may be non-existent, which requires the use of an alternative preservation medium.  Other methods for preserving environmental samples for microbial DNA analysis include drying on various matrices (DNA cards, swabs), or placing samples in liquid preservatives (e.g., chloroform/phenol/isoamyl alcohol, TRIzol reagent, ethanol).  These methodologies eliminate the need for cold storage, however, they add expense and permitting requirements for hazardous liquid components, and the retrieval of intact microbial DNA often can be inconsistent. An evaluation of saline-saturated DMSO-EDTA (SSDE) as an ambient temperature storage medium for coral mucus samples are presented here.

Citation: May, L. A., Higgins, J. L., and Woodley, C. M. 2011. Saline-Saturated DMSO-EDTA as a Storage Medium for Microbial DNA Analysis from Coral Mucus Swab Samples. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 127 and CRCP 15. 14 pp.

Saline-Saturated DMSO-EDTA as a Storage Medium for Microbial DNA Analysis from Coral Mucus Swab Samples (full report, pdf, 974 KB)

For more information, contact:

Cheryl.Woodley@noaa.gov