Abstract
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Abstract: The exponential increase in biospecimen collections by clinical laboratories and biobanks has accentuated the problems inherent to traditional cold storage, including high energy costs, safety concerns, limited space, complex maintenance and automation. Imagene's innovative DNAshell® technology was first developed to address these issues through an innovative preservation procedure: the confinement of the dried biospecimens under an inert atmosphere (helium and argon) within a hermetic metallic container. In these conditions through accelerated aging studies, we determined that the half-life of a 150 nucleotide long DNA molecules would be 38 000 years. Concurrently, a 15 year of real-time aging was conducted and showed no apparent degradation. These data set new standards in DNA preservation and represents now the more advanced technology for DNA and biospecimens storage.
DNA samples of various sources were encapsulated for accelerated aging and long-term room-temperature storage under unregulated temperature and humidity conditions. Samples stored for up to 15 years were recovered by adding water and purified when needed. The quality and quantity of the retrieved DNA samples were evaluated using methods such as RT/qPCR and electrophoresis (capillary or gel).
Analyses revealed that theses samples could be retrieved with excellent integrity and yield. Remarkably, DNA from desiccated intact or lysed cells also demonstrated an extreme stability over long periods demonstrating that, in DNAshells, the presence of contaminants does not harm the preservation.
In conclusion, this breakthrough technology effectively shields DNA from moisture and other atmospheric deleterious factors and prevent the action of contaminants, enabling mid-to-long-term energy-free storage. So, by eliminating the need for cold storage and logistics, DNAshell® provides a reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable solution for DNA data storage. This solution not only ensures DNA integrity but also supports environmentally responsible storage practices.