How does everybody store their bacteria strains?

[Ross Mitchell-Smith]

Hey everyone. I recently posted asking what sort of equipment I need to work on genetics. It was mentioned that I would need a -80C freezer to store bacteria strains, but the prices are astronomical.

Are there any cheaper ways I can store bacteria strains?

[Nathan McCorkle]

Yes, you add a chemical that disrupts big ice crystals from forming
(glycerol) and place them in a -20C (standard home model) freezer, or
use agar stabs and just put them in the fridge.

http://www.auburn.edu/~santosr/protocols/EcolStabAgarProtocol.pdf

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--
-Nathan

[Sebastian Cocioba]

Agar stab works great. Anaerobic environment slows down metabolic activity. Pop em in the fridge for added effect.

[Koeng]

Could I store plasmids in bacteria in agar stabs?

[Ross Mitchell-Smith]

Thanks very much guys! Good to know I'll be able to work with bacteria without needing to fork out on an expensive freezer!

[Ross Mitchell-Smith]

The plasmid is inside the bacteria so as far as I'm aware the same methods would be adequate :)

[Jeswin]

On Sun, Jan 20, 2013 at 7:29 AM, Ross Mitchell-Smith
<rossa...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The plasmid is inside the bacteria so as far as I'm aware the same methods would be adequate :)
>

If you purify the plasmid DNA, then you can store the DNA at -20C for
a long time. And when you need plasmid for expression or whatnot, you
can just transform some new competent cells with your plasmid.

[Koeng]

Wouldn't the antibotic go bad, therefore making bacteria WITHOUT the plasmid survive better?

[Jeswin]

On Sun, Jan 20, 2013 at 2:37 PM, Koeng <koen...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Wouldn't the antibotic go bad, therefore making bacteria WITHOUT the plasmid
> survive better?
>

I think we're talking about two different things. I was thinking of
storing transformed E. coli. Usually competent cells are stored in
-80C but if you make fresh competent cells yourself, that won't be
needed.

Sebastian said you could store them as agar stabs. I never needed to do that.