Best method to send DNA? - (Jul/28/2009 )

Hi there,

I am wondering what people think is the best method to transport very small amounts of DNA. It will take about 10 days in transit before it can be cooled or frozen (I need to go between continents, via other places..).

I could dry the pellet at the last stage of extraction and leave it like that in an eppendorf tube.
I could resuspend the pellet and leave it in ddH20, to transport at room temperature.
Or I could try to spot onto filter paper.

Or I could simply not extract and bring the cell pellet with me in ethanol or another buffer?

I would prefer not to buy any new products, if possible, because I would like to take the DNA with me at the end of this week. I don't have access to a speedvac.

I also want a method that works for minute amounts of DNA....

....any thoughts?

All 3 should be fine, though I would dissolve the DNA in TE or TLE rather than ddH₂O. Personally I would dry it out and ship it that way.

bob1 on Jul 29 2009, 12:44 PM said:

Thanks for that Bob.

Is there any difference between DNA dried in a speedvac and just air dried at the last step of an extraction?

Is one somehow more dry than another?? Or is one easier to dissolve again as its not such a 'pellet'?

Hi usually what i do is to put DNA on a 3M paper.

so I draw a round circle with a pencil (~0.5cm diameter) then with a pipette I drop the DNA (drop by drop). I wait between drops to allow drying and to avoid the DNA to expend out of the circle.

I put the paper in a small plastic bag and send by regular mail.

to elute the DNA you will need to add TE on the paper in an eppendorf.

sran on Jul 29 2009, 03:03 AM said:

As the name implies, all a SpeedVac does is speed up the evaporation of the solvent by exposing it to a vacuum.