Buccal DNA Storage

Long-term storage and recovery of buccal cell DNA

Economical methods for collecting and storing high quality DNA are needed for large population-based molecular epidemiology studies. Blood spotted on filter paper can be stored for long periods with adequate DNA recovery, but information on storage and successful recovery of buccal cell DNA beyond two years is not known. The amount of genomic DNA required for genotyping has continued to decrease, and reliable whole genome amplification methods further reduce the mass of DNA required. This study evaluated the amount and quality of DNA remaining on treated cards stored for seven years. DNA yields were extremely small and most PCR amplicons failed to amplify. Buccal cells stored on treated cards do not consistently provide sufficient quantities or quality of human DNA for genotyping or whole genome amplification.