Stabilization Reagents

What are Stabilization Reagents?

Stabilization reagents are aqueous solutions added to biological samples—tissue, blood, saliva, swabs, feces, or environmental specimens—immediately after collection to inhibit nuclease activity, inactivate infectious agents, and preserve nucleic acid integrity during storage and transport at ambient temperature. They replace immediate snap-freezing in workflows where cold-chain logistics are impractical or unavailable. Choose stabilization reagents when samples must be transported at room temperature, stored before processing, or collected in remote or field settings where freezing is impossible.

What you will find:

• DNA stabilization reagents for genomic DNA preservation
• RNA stabilization reagents for transcriptomics and gene expression studies
• Dual DNA/RNA stabilization buffers for broad molecular workflows
• Blood stabilization solutions for clinical and diagnostic sampling
• Tissue stabilization reagents for biopsy and solid sample preservation
• Stool and microbiome stabilization solutions for sequencing studies
• Pre-filled stabilization reagent tubes (1 mL–10 mL formats)

How to Choose Stabilization Reagents

Nucleic Acid Target (DNA, RNA, or Both)
DNA-stabilizing reagents (e.g., DNA/RNA Shield at a 1:1 ratio) preserve genomic and microbial DNA for up to 2 years at room temperature. RNA-stabilizing reagents must also inactivate RNases rapidly; DNA/RNA Shield achieves both simultaneously. For transcriptomics or gene-expression work, confirm the reagent preserves RNA integrity numbers (RIN ≥ 7) over your anticipated storage window.

Sample Matrix Compatibility
Reagent choice depends on sample type: liquid blood requires a 1:5 blood-to-reagent ratio for immediate lysis; tissue samples need 10× volume submersion; fecal samples require at least 4 volumes of reagent per gram of stool. Mismatch between matrix and reagent volume reduces stabilization efficiency.

Downstream Compatibility
Verify the reagent is compatible with your extraction kit. DNA/RNA Shield is directly compatible with Zymo Research Quick-DNA and Quick-RNA kits without removal. RNAlater requires centrifugation and removal before extraction. Incompatible reagent-kit pairings are a common source of inhibited PCR signals.

Infectious Agent Inactivation
For samples from SARS-CoV-2 or other BSL-2 pathogens, choose a reagent validated to inactivate infectious agents. DNA/RNA Shield has received FDA 510(k) clearance (K202641) demonstrating SARS-CoV-2 inactivation at ambient temperature, enabling safe shipment of respiratory specimens under standard courier conditions.

Storage Duration
Short-term (≤7 days at RT): most stabilization reagents are adequate. Long-term (weeks to months): DNA/RNA Shield at ambient temperature or −20 °C; RNAlater stable at 4 °C for one month or −20 °C for longer. Confirm with the lot certificate data for your specific lot.

Specifications Context

Stabilization reagents must be added immediately after sample collection; delays of more than 30 minutes at room temperature can degrade RNA integrity in tissue samples. DNA/RNA Shield is supplied as a 1× aqueous solution (catalog R1100) and a 2× concentrate (catalog R1200) for dilution into high-volume liquid samples. The 1× solution is RNase-free, DNase-free, and PCR-inhibitor-free per the lot certificate. Reagent volumes range from 50 mL to 250 mL in bulk formats suitable for field expedition use. MBP is a registered vendor for Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Vanderbilt University, and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

MBP can help align the stabilization system with your exact workflow.  Contact the MBP team for bulk pricing and PO ordering.