Sample Collection

Question 1

How much Shield should I add to my _____ sample?

Answer 1

For whole blood samples, I would recommend adding a 3:1 ratio of 1X DNA/RNA Shield to whole blood.

Question 2

What is the difference between 1X and 2X DNA/RNA Shield?

Question 3

Is DNA/RNA Shield a lysis buffer?

Answer 3

DNA/RNA Shield is lytic

Question 4

Is DNA/RNA Shield compatible with ____ kit?

Answer 4

DNA/RNA Shield is compatible with most guanidine based kits. DNA/RNA Shield is not compatible with the Qiagen “Power” kits.

Question 5

What is the difference between the -E and non -E catalog numbers?

Answer 5

Any catalog number that ends with -E is CE-IVD marked for diagnostic use (mainly required in Europe). If you do not need CE-IVD markings or are research use only, the non -E version is sufficient.

Question 6

Do I need to remove Shield before extraction?

Answer 6

No, Shield does not need to be removed before extraction. Since Shield is lytic, the nucleic acid will be free in the solution, so removing Shield can lead to reduced yields

Question 7

How should I dispose of Shield? Do I need to use gloves? Does it need to be used in a hood? …

Answer 7

DNA/RNA Shield can be disposed of similar to any guanidine based reagents. Please see the SDS available on the website and consult your institution’s environmental health and safety office for waste disposal information.

Question 8

How long is DNA/RNA stable at room temperature?

Answer 8

DNA is stable for at least 2 years at RT and RNA is stable for 1 month. At lower temperature (

Question 9

What is the expiration date for Shield?

Question 10

I noticed some white precipitate in my Shield bottle. Is this normal?

Answer 10

Some components of the reagent (or sample) may have precipitated out of solution during the freeze-thaw process. Once the sample is thawed to ambient temperature, vortex the sample to bring precipitate back into solution. Furthermore, try heating samples in hand or 37°C for 5 minutes and vortex

Question 11

Can I FACS sort directly in Shield?

Answer 11

Yes, sort directly into DNA/RNA Shield (e.g. Collect 100 ul of FACS sorted cells into minimally 400 ul of DNA/RNA Shield).

Question 12

Can Shield be used on already extracted nucleic acid?

Answer 12

Yes, extracted nucleic acids are stabilized in DNA/RNA Shield. Prior to downstream applications, clean-up the sample via the appropriate Zymo Research clean-up kit (Genomic DNA Clean and Concentrator (gDCC), DNA Clean and Concentrator (DCC), and RNA Clean and Concentrator (RCC)).

Question 13

Can I store urine in DNA/RNA Shield?

Answer 13

Yes, but we would recommend our Urine Conditioning Buffer instead to minimize high sample volumes

Question 14

Do I need to homogenize my tissue when storing in Shield?

Answer 14

No, tissues do not need homogenization

Question 15

What is the difference between SafeCollect tubes and regular collection tubes?

Question 16

Can I order a large volume of DNA/RNA Shield reagent?

Answer 16

Yes, we can provide custom fills for DNA/RNA Shield

Question 17

Are your collection tubes sterile?

Answer 17

No, our collection tubes are not certified sterile, but they are manufactured under clean conditions and should be free of any contaminants

Question 18

Which lysis tubes should I use for _____ sample type?

Answer 18

For tissue and insects - ZR Bashing Bead Lysis Tubes (2mm)
For microbial lysis - ZR Bashing Bead Lysis Tubes (0.1 & 0.5mm)
For pathogen from tissues and insects - ZR Bashing Bead Lysis Tubes (0.1 & 2mm)

Question 19

How do I use Proteinase K with a sample in Shield?

Answer 19

In general, our protocol calls for 2-3% Proteinase K (20 mg/mL) in a DNA/RNA Shield sample. For temperature, I would recommend not going over 55C.

If your tissue is homogenized in Shield, you can incubate it for about 30 minutes. If your tissue is whole, you would need to incubate it for a couple hours, up to overnight at room temperature.