Taq left at RT - gulp! -

[Ann M. Yezerski]

Mark Siddall (mes at zoo.toronto.edu) wrote:

: Geez what a boo-boo...
: Accidentally left Taq out (covered though) at 25C for 24hr!!!
: Primers, buffersw, etc as well...
: Has anyone been foolhardy enough to have done this as well?
: Should I expect serious problems using this in the future?  Or
: just chuck it all out?

Not quite the same situation, but...
I accidentally unplugged our frezzer while plugging in a computer (the 
freezer was plugged into a traveling cart and I unplugged the cart).  It 
defrosted for 24 hours.  I ran a PCR with extracts I hadn't even tried 
yet, and, to my surprise, got the best results yet!  Now, this does not 
mean that you should go unplug your freezer.  Also, I doubt that my Taq 
ever reached room temperature, but that particular Taq is still in 
working order two weeks and about 10 PCR's later.  I suggest you try one 
PCR with that Taq and see if it works.  It's worth a try, and if the PCR 
works, than you at least saved some money.  Granted probably a couple of 
"half-lives" have gone out of the Taq, and even if it does work, it 
probably won't continue to do so for as long as it normally would.