Long-term whole blood DNA preservation by cost-efficient cryosilicification

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 6265
• Main Authors: Zhou, Liang, Lei, Qi, Guo, Jimin, Gao, Yuanyuan, Shi, Jianjun, Yu, Hong, Yin, Wenxiang, Cao, Jiangfan, Xiao, Botao, Andreo, Jacopo, Ettlinger, Romy, Jeffrey Brinker, C., Wuttke, Stefan, Zhu, Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 21.10.2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 140/131; 147/135; 147/136; 147/137; 147/28; 38/22; 38/23; 38/47; 631/61/350/2093; 639/301/54/992; 639/925/926/1049; Blood cells; Blood Preservation - methods; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA - genetics; Genomics; High temperature; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; multidisciplinary; Oxygen; Preservation; Preservation, Biological - methods; Room temperature; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Three dimensional printing; Ultraviolet radiation; Ultraviolet Rays
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33759-y

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the blueprint of life, and cost-effective methods for its long-term storage could have many potential benefits to society. Here we present the method of in situ cryosilicification of whole blood cells, which allows long-term preservation of DNA. Importantly, our straightforward approach is inexpensive, reliable, and yields cryosilicified samples that fulfill the essential criteria for safe, long-term DNA preservation, namely robustness against external stressors, such as radical oxygen species or ultraviolet radiation, and long-term stability in humid conditions at elevated temperatures. Our approach could enable the room temperature storage of genomic information in book-size format for more than one thousand years (thermally equivalent), costing only 0.5 $/person. Additionally, our demonstration of 3D-printed DNA banking artefacts, could potentially allow ‘artificial fossilization’. Cost-effective methods for long-term storage of DNA are desired. Here the authors present a method for in situ cryosilicification of whole blood cells, allowing long-term and room temperature preservation of genomic information for only approximately $0.5 per sample.