How should a tick be properly stored for analysis? - briefly
Ticks intended for laboratory examination should be immersed in 70 % ethanol and kept at 4 °C, or frozen at –20 °C when DNA analysis is required. Store them in airtight vials, protected from light, to prevent degradation.
How should a tick be properly stored for analysis? - in detail
Ticks intended for morphological, molecular, or pathogen detection studies must be preserved in a manner that prevents degradation of DNA, RNA, proteins, and external structures. The following steps provide a comprehensive protocol.
- Collect the specimen with sterile forceps or tweezers, avoiding contact with the mouthparts. Place each tick in an individual, airtight tube or vial made of polypropylene or glass.
- Immediately add 70 %–95 % ethanol, ensuring the tick is fully submerged. Ethanol concentrations above 70 % inhibit enzymatic activity and preserve nucleic acids for weeks to months. For RNA‑sensitive applications, use RNAlater or a cold chain instead of ethanol.
- If freezing is preferred, snap‑freeze the tick in liquid nitrogen or place the sealed container at –80 °C within 30 minutes of collection. This method maintains both nucleic acid integrity and protein conformation.
- Label each container with a unique identifier, collection date, location, host species, and preservation method. Use waterproof ink or barcode labels to prevent loss of information.
- Store ethanol‑preserved vials at 4 °C for short‑term (up to 2 weeks) or at room temperature in a dark, dry place for longer periods. Periodically replace ethanol if the liquid becomes cloudy, indicating contamination.
- For specimens destined for histological examination, fix in 10 % neutral‑buffered formalin for 24 hours, then transfer to 70 % ethanol for storage. This preserves tissue architecture while allowing subsequent molecular assays if needed.
Key considerations:
- Temperature control – rapid cooling or consistent refrigeration prevents autolysis.
- Preservative choice – ethanol is versatile; RNAlater is essential for transcriptomic work; formalin is required for microscopy.
- Container integrity – airtight seals avoid evaporation and contamination.
- Documentation – complete metadata ensures reproducibility and accurate downstream analysis.
Adhering to these guidelines guarantees that tick samples remain suitable for a wide range of analytical techniques, from PCR‑based pathogen detection to detailed morphological assessments.