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Protocol Citation: Siddharth Krishnamurthy 2024. MHV Tissue Titering Protocol. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.ewov194kklr2/v1
License: This is an open access  protocol  distributed under the terms of the  Creative Commons Attribution License,  which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: April 28, 2024
Last Modified: December 19, 2025
Protocol  Integer ID: 98921
Keywords: mhv tissue titering protocol this protocol, mhv tissue titering protocol, viral rna level, subsequent analysis of viral rna level, total nucleic acid from soft tissue, isolating total nucleic acid, rna, soft tissue, tissue
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Abstract
This protocol is for isolating total nucleic acid from soft tissues in mice, for subsequent analysis of Viral RNA levels
Protocol materials
RPMI 0%Merck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #R7755
2.0 mm Zirconia beadsBioSpec ProductsCatalog #11079124ZX
1.1 mL Polypropylene Cluster Tubes, 12-Tube Strip Format, NonsterileVWR International (Avantor)Catalog #89005-574
12-Well Cluster Tube CapsVWR International (Avantor)Catalog #89005-728
Sterile 24 Well PlateVWR International (Avantor)Catalog #103348-844
DTTMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #D0632
Buffer RLT PlusQiagenCatalog #1053393
Deep 96 Well PlateVWR International (Avantor)Catalog #10011-940
EconoSpin 96 Well DNA & RNA Binding PlateEpoch Life ScienceCatalog #2020-001
Ethyl alcohol, PureMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #E7023
Buffer RW1QiagenCatalog #1053394
Day -1 (Or earlier): Design Well Layout for Tissue Collection tubes
Design the 96-well plate layout in which you will process (and eventually store) your samples
15m
Day -1: Prepare tissue collection tubes and plate
Label a sufficient number of 1.1 mL 12-well cluster tubes, and then place them in a new rack. 1.1 mL Polypropylene Cluster Tubes, 12-Tube Strip Format, NonsterileVWR International (Avantor)Catalog #89005-574
10m
Retrieve enough 12-well cluster tube caps for your cluster tubes 12-Well Cluster Tube CapsVWR International (Avantor)Catalog #89005-728

Add 5-10 2.0 mm Zirconia beads to each tube that will have tissue in it 2.0 mm Zirconia beadsBioSpec ProductsCatalog #11079124ZX
5m
Add 650 µL RPMI 0% to each bead containing tube
RPMI 0%Merck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #R7755
5m
Cover rack and tubes with resealable plate mat and leave in 4 °C until ready to use

5m
Add 6 mL (Approx) of RPMI 0% to a 24 well deep well plateRPMI 0%Merck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #R7755 Sterile 24 Well PlateVWR International (Avantor)Catalog #103348-844



Day 0
1h 30m
Dissect the mouse and open the abdominal cavity without disturbing the adipose tissue
Collect mesenteric lymph nodes, Peyer's patches, and proximal colon
Orient mesenteric adipose tissue so mesenteric lymph nodes (mLN) are easily identifiable and place all mesenteric lymph nodes (with capsule) in the 1.1 cluster tube
Extract all the Peyer's patches and place them in the cluster tube
Cut 0.5 cm of proximal colon (the part of the colon that connects to the cecum)

Seal tube tightly with cap. Put whole weight on it, if necessary; it must be sealed by any means necessary
1m
Bead beat plate in SPEX MiniG Tissue Homogenizer for 5 min at 1500 rpm1500 rpm, Room temperature , 00:05:00
Equipment
new equipment
NAME
SPEX
BRAND
SP 1600
SKU
MiniG 1600 Automated Tissue Homogenizer and Cell Lyser
SPECIFICATIONS


5m
Seal the bead beater with the 96 well plate mat and a paper towel to examine if there is serious leakage
Thaw 2 Molarity (M) DTT to make a sufficient amount of RLT + 50 mM DTT
ABC
Number of SamplesAmount of RLT Plus (mL)Amount of 2 M DTT (uL)
3012.5250
Spreadsheet to calculate how much RLT Plus and DTT will be needed
DTTMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #D0632 Buffer RLT PlusQiagenCatalog #1053393

Aliquot 350 uL of RLT+DTT buffer to appropriate wells in a new 96 well deep well plate
Deep 96 Well PlateVWR International (Avantor)Catalog #10011-940

Once the plate is done beating:3000 x g, Room temperature, 00:02:00

2m
While the plate is spinning, set up the Multi-well Plate Manifold with a 96-well silica plate on top
EconoSpin 96 Well DNA & RNA Binding PlateEpoch Life ScienceCatalog #2020-001


Once the plate is done spinning, add 100 uL of tissue supernatant to theRLT-DTT plate
Use the pipet that you transfer the organ homogenate to pipet up and down to mix the RLT with the homogenate
Once the 100 uL has been transferred to the RLT-DTT plate, the RNA is stable, and you can transfer the 200 uL of the remaining homogenate to another deep 96-well plate for FFU titersDeep 96 Well PlateVWR International (Avantor)Catalog #10011-940
Add 350 uL of pure ethanol to the RLT-DTT well plate and do not mix hereEthyl alcohol, PureMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #E7023
Turn the vacuum on to prepare the silica plate
With a new pipet tip, mix the RLT+Ethanol solution and transfer to the silica plate
Transfer the solution with the same pipet you mix the ethanol with the pipet
The solution should take ~1 minute, usually less to suck through
Wash the silica plate with 350 uL RW1 Buffer
Buffer RW1QiagenCatalog #1053394
Wash the silica plate with 800 uL RPE Buffer (10 mM Tris-Cl + 80% Ethanol)
Dry the plate 3000 x g, Room temperature, 00:02:00

2m
Place plate onto an elution skirted plate.
Elute by adding 75 uL of DEPC treated water to the wells and 3000 x g, Room temperature, 00:02:00

2m