Linkers/adaptors left at 95 degrees celcius for 2 hours. OK? - (Oct/28/2007 )

I make linker cassettes (or adaptors) by annealing 2 complementary oligonucleotides togther in the presence of a buffer.

I usually heat to 95 degrees celcius for 5 minutes and then turn off the cooling block and allow to cool slowly.

Recently, I left the lab and forgot my linkers and they were sitting in the heating block at 95 for about 2 hours! Do you think they would still be OK to use?

Try to run in on gel or try ligating it and check it. It could still be there. DNA is quite stable.

Hi Jess,

Only one way to find out!

But, they should be OK, especially if they are new, or have been treated well in the past (not too many freeze-thaw cycles, storage in buffer etc)

Thank you both for the advice. I ran them out on a gel and the linkers appear to be fine!