Water treated with diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC), intended for the preparation of RNA and DNA samples, the preparation of analytical solutions, chemical reagents, electrophoresis buffers, and the rinsing of instrument systems.
High-purity water—filtered through a membrane with a pore size of 0.22 µm and autoclaved. Diethyl pyrocarbonate irreversibly inactivates many enzymes, including RNases. After autoclaving, DEPC hydrolyzes to form ethanol and CO2.
• Specific resistance: 18.2 MΩ·cm; • Residual human genomic DNA: < 4 pg/mL; • Does not contain deoxyribonucleases or ribonucleases.
The main sources of RNases are hands, bacteria, and fungi, which can be spread by dust. Standard microbiological work practices are sufficient to prevent contamination.
Wear gloves and keep used reagents open for as short a time as possible.
It is best to use disposable plastic when working with mRNA. It generally does not contain RNases and does not require prior RNase inactivation, but for added reliability, it can be autoclaved.