Stool Nucleic Acid Collection & Preservation System: Ambient Microbiome Integrity
The Norgen Stool Nucleic Acid Collection and Preservation System provides a comprehensive solution for the rapid collection, stabilisation, and transport of stool specimens without the need for cold-chain logistics. Maintaining the integrity of nucleic acids in stool is notoriously difficult due to the rapid onset of bacterial overgrowth and enzymatic degradation immediately post-collection. This all-in-one system addresses these challenges by enabling researchers and clinicians to collect high-quality samples in any environment, ensuring that downstream analysis accurately reflects the in vivo state of the microbiome.
Each individual tube contains Norgen’s proprietary liquid preservative, which rapidly permeates the stool matrix to lock in the DNA and RNA profiles. Beyond preservation, the solution acts as a robust lysis buffer that inactivates infectious agents, including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This chemical inactivation renders the sample non-infectious, facilitating safe handling and compliant ambient shipping to centralised testing facilities, where it remains compatible with diverse isolation methods including spin-column and magnetic bead extraction.
Comprehensive Kit Contents
To ensure a standardised and hygienic collection process, each of the 50 units is individually packaged in a convenient clamshell. This all-inclusive design facilitates easy distribution to patients or field sites. Each clamshell contains:
- 1 Stool Nucleic Acid Collection and Preservation Tube
- 2 Nitrile Gloves
- 1 Fe-Col® Collection Paper
- 2 Alcohol Swabs
- 1 Instruction Card
Key Benefits:
- Extended Ambient Stability: Long-term DNA preservation. Stool DNA remains stable at room temperature for over 2 years, and RNA for up to 7 days, eliminating the costs and risks associated with dry ice shipping or immediate freezing.
- Pathogen Inactivation: Safe sample transport. The preservative effectively inactivates potentially infectious agents, including viruses and bacteria, ensuring samples are non-infectious for safe handling and shipping in accordance with standard regulations.
- User-Friendly Design: Patient-centric collection. The inclusion of Fe-Col® collection paper and a spoon attached to the tube lid simplifies the transfer of the specimen, making the process cleaner and more accessible for donors.
- Downstream Versatility: High-quality extraction inputs. Preserved samples yield high-quality DNA and RNA compatible with Norgen’s isolation kits and other commercial methods, suitable for demanding applications such as PCR, qPCR, and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS).
Supporting Data
Figure 1. Norgen’s Best-In-Class Preservation
Summary of community shifts in response to stabilising solutions over a 14-day storage period. Bray-Curtis distance towards the reference for each patient grouped by stabilising solution. Median and 5th-to-95th percentile ranges are shown for both interaliquot and interpatient variability (adapted from Plauzolles et al, 2022). Norgen is the most similar to frozen stool samples, over 11 other sample collection and storage methods.
Figure 2. Integrity of Total Stool DNA and RNA Isolated from Preserved Stool Samples
DNA and RNA were isolated from 200 µL of preserved stool from 4 different donors (lanes A to D) stored at room temperature at the indicated time points (DNA at 27 months and RNA at 7 days) using Norgen’s Stool Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit (Cat# 45600). Next, 10 µL from the 75 µL eluted nucleic acid was loaded onto a gel for visual analysis. High integrity stool DNA was isolated from preserved stool samples that were stored at room temperature for 27 months, and high integrity RNA was isolated from stool samples stored for 7 days at ambient temperature. Lane M is Norgen’s HighRanger 1 kb DNA Ladder (Cat. 11900).
Figure 3. Monitoring the DNA stability of Adenovirus (Ad5subE1) Spiked into Preserved Stool Samples using TaqMan Real-Time PCR Assay
Preserved stool samples were spiked with 6 x 10⁹ pfu/mL of Adenovirus, and 200 µL samples were removed at the indicated time points. The stool DNA was then isolated using Norgen’s Stool DNA Isolation Kit (Cat# 27600). Next, 2 µL of DNA template from each 50 µL of elution was used in a 20 µL PCR reaction to detect the Adenovirus DNA. The stool preservative was shown to stabilise Adenovirus DNA up to 21 weeks at ambient temperature, indicating that Norgen’s Stool Nucleic Acid Collection and Preservation Tubes provide a safe and convenient sample transportation system.
Specifications
- Stool Input: Fill to line (approx. 2 g)
- DNA Stability (Room Temp): 2 Years
- RNA Stability (Room Temp): Up to 7 days (varies by sample)
- Viral Inactivation: Yes (Viruses, Bacteria, Fungi)
- System Components: 50 Clamshells
- Storage Conditions: Room temperature (15–25°C)
- Shipping Condition: Ambient