- Designate a special area for working with RNA
- Clean benches with special cleaning solutions e.g.
RNaseZap
- Wear gloves and change them frequently
- Use sterile, disposable plasticware
- Glassware should be treated with DiEthylPyroCarbonate
(DEPC) and oven baked at 180°C for at least 4 hours before use
- Use filtered pipette tips
- Solutions (water or other solutions) should be prepared
with 0.1% DEPC
- Use RNase-free reagents, tubes and tips
- For best results use either fresh samples or samples that have been snap frozen on
dry ice or in liquid nitrogen; all required
reagents should be kept on ice
- Store prepared RNA at -80°C
- To avoid condensation of moisture during thawing, the
slides should be frozen at -80°C and rethawed in a tightly sealed container
(e.g. 50 ml Falcon tube)
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- Don’t breathe on samples;
some researchers wear masks
- Don’t touch anything with bare hands
- Don’t autoclave pipette tips, as water vapor may contain
RNases
- Don’t allow frozen tissue to thaw
- Don’t resuspend RNA in DEPC water; residual DEPC can
inhibit downstream reaction
- Don’t thaw and freeze frequently
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