amazing stability of restriction enzymes

[Jose I. de las Heras]

Michael L. Sullivan wrote:
> 
> Thanks for the interesting info.  I (and I'm sure lots of others) have
> always been under the impression that restriction enzymes are so delicate
> they will surely lose activity if we look at them the the wrong way, since
> most of the people who taught me were so paranoid about even having enzymes
> at ice temp for more than a few min.
> 
> Perhaps in the early days, RE preparations were not so stable as they are
> today, and hence the paranoia that has been perpetuated.
> 
> Mike

Not so long ago I was at a lab where they insisted we dispensed the
enzymes AT the freezer (common stocks for everything). Imagine: open
freezer, lay rack in freezer, open enzyme box, now where do I put the
box of tips?... damn, I forgot the P20... etc, the procedure takes
easily a few minutes if you have more than a couple of tubes... multiply
that by the number of people in the lab... a few times per day... I'm
amazed the thing wasn't covered in frost within a week (well, it took
about two to three ;-)

Jose

-- 
Dr. Jose I. de las Heras	Email: 	Jose.delasHeras at hgu.mrc.ac.uk
MRC Human Genetics Unit		Tel: 	(0131) 3322471
Chromosome Biology Section		ext: 	2121 (office)
Western General Hospital			2301 (lab)
Edinburgh EH4 2XU		Fax: 	(0131) 3432620	
Scotland - United Kingdom	

"Musha ring dum a doo dum a da, Whack for my daddy-o"