Microbial content and diversity within collected gut, rectal, vaginal, skin, oral, or soil samples can provide a wealth of clues about human and animal health. However, current microbiome collection methods subject the samples to harsh and stressful stabilization techniques such as freezing or harsh organic solvents. Both stabilization approaches have a high probability of altering the microbial representation in the sample, which could lead to misleading results and hinder proper modeling or data analysis.
Freezing: Requires well-monitored cold chain storage and transport – Cost associated with cold chain transport – Alters microbial representation from point of collection to processing – Limited to DNA analysis – Thawing sample requires pre-processing which affects DNA quality – Somewhat limits re-culturing of samples, therefore affecting proper modeling or data analysis.
Organic solvents: In addition to being toxic and requires strict regulations for transport and handling procedures, they alter microbial representation from the point of collection to processing – Limited to DNA and somewhat for RNA analysis.
The iSWAB-Microbiome (MB) is a non-toxic stabilizing technology that enables inactivation of bacteria, fungi, spores, and viruses, allows ambient collection and transport of various biosamples, and maintains the status quo at the time of collection. iSWAB-MB provides a representative snapshot of the microbial community that remains unchanged from collection to processing of oral, gut/fecal, skin, vaginal, and soil samples. Purified microbial DNA or RNA isolated from collected samples are compatible with qPCR, microarray, and NGS for microbiome research in health, wellness, and forensics.
iSWAB-Microbiome has been proven to efficiently inactivate bacteria, fungi, spores, and DNA/RNA viruses allowing safer transport of biological samples to processing labs, especially when samples are subject to long transit times. DNA and RNA from collected microorganisms remains stable at room temperature for up to 40 days for DNA, and 21 days for RNA, eliminating the need for expedited cold chain transport.
Intended Use:
Non-invasive sample collection and room temperature storage for microbial DNA and RNA from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores.
Features:
Mawi DNA Technologies extends its iSWAB technology into microbiome research. The iSWAB-Microbiome (MB) is a non-toxic stabilizing technology that enables inactivation of bacteria, fungi, spores, and viruses, allows ambient collection and transport of various biosamples, and maintains the status quo at the time of collection. iSWAB-MB provides a representative snapshot of the microbial community that remains unchanged from collection to processing of oral, gut/fecal, skin, vaginal, and soil samples. Purified microbial DNA or RNA isolated from collected samples are compatible with qPCR, microarray, and NGS for microbiome research in health, wellness, and forensics.
- Non-toxic stabilization; no organic, hazardous solvent fixatives or detergents.
- Microbial presentation maintained intact from time of collection for weeks at room temperature (real time testing ongoing).
- No bloom effect correction needed for microbiome data. Both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial communities stabilized from collection to processing.
- Ambient temperature transport and storage with no cold chain involvement.
- The stabilization buffer efficiently inactivates bacteria, fungi, spores, and viruses allowing safe transport of biological samples.
- Purified bacterial DNA or RNA isolated from collected samples are compatible with qPCR, microarray and NGS based applications.
- Scalable and customizable platform capable of stabilizing up to 20g of fecal or soil material in standard collection containers.