I am planning to collect human fecal samples for metatranscriptomic analysis using MGI. These samples are from indigenous people living in a region with high temperatures. I will have access to a refrigerator at 4°C during the day. What is the best way to preserve the samples? Should I use RNA later?
Of course you have to, specially because of the temperature and the sensibility of the tests. Bacteria in faeces multiply every 20 minutes, so if your leave the samples at room temperature, the structure of the RNA population will dramatically change over hours.
I used RNA later, which is good for storing samples at room temperature. But be careful, you have to make sure it gets into the sample by cutting it into small pieces.
Are you looking for the best way or the practical way.
>> The best way is to flash freeze the samples. Either by use of liquid nitrogen or -80 °C freezer
>> Practical way is to freeze the samples as soon as possible. Either on ice, at 4 °C or -20 °C. Dry ice or freezed blocks cooled as low as possible. Together with RNAlater if you want
>> RNAlater to work, the cell need to be disrupted and RNA need to be in RNAlater. If cells are not broken, the RNA expression profile can change depending on several factors in the sample preparation process.
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