HELP HELP HELP needed with RNA extraction

[James Graham]

Rimantas has suggested that there may be actual data 
relevant to "finger RNAses". Can anyone point out any 
such references?

Apparently, my own assay, which consited of tipping a
microcentrifuge tube against my finger tip and shaking it
-removing 10ul to a tube containing 2 ug of RNA markers
and incubating 30 min at 37C (which was negative for me 
and a collegue) may not have been sensitive enough to 
detect the proposed low levesl of RNAse acrtivity.

Any one else care to try? Rimanats suggest putting 
20ul water on a fingertip directly and testing that for RNAse
action on an RNA standard. (I'll do it shortly too).

Jim
J. Graham PhD 
Biology Department 
Washington University of St. Louis