autoclaving tubes for DNA extraction - (Jun/05/2013 )
Dear all,
Does anyone here autoclave (eppendorf) tubes when you want to collect DNA in them?
Most people at the lab where I work autoclave them by putting them in a glass jar. But does steam penetrate the glass? The tubes are dry, in a glass jar... So I dont see how it can effectivly autoclave them.
+ is it really needed to autoclave them? Are those tubes normally not DNA free?
I suppose you also need to by dnase free tubes? Or you just buy regular tubes?
I use them straight out of the bag, but we buy RNase/DNase etc free tubes. Autoclaving for sterilization does not work unless the steam can penetrate the vessel - so if the jar doesn't have a loose lid, all that is happening is that it is being heated which won't damage DNA much.
Autoclaving also has the added "bonus" of carrying stuff in the steam, including DNA and nucleases....
bob1 on Wed Jun 5 09:34:18 2013 said:
I use them straight out of the bag, but we buy RNase/DNase etc free tubes. Autoclaving for sterilization does not work unless the steam can penetrate the vessel - so if the jar doesn't have a loose lid, all that is happening is that it is being heated which won't damage DNA much.
Autoclaving also has the added "bonus" of carrying stuff in the steam, including DNA and nucleases....
Yes this was my point: you have to open the lid or use aluminum foil to cover a beaker or something.
+ you can indeed make the tubes more dirty.
So I find it weird they still autoclave them.