Viral Vector Handling and Storage
Addgene recommends the following steps to ensure proper handling and storage of your viral prep for future use. If there is a problem, please contact Addgene within 60 days of receiving your viral vector. If your viral vector did not arrive on dry ice, please contact Addgene immediately.
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Safety
Our viral vectors, while replication deficient, can infect a broad range of mammalian cell types. Please refer to the safety data sheets provided in our Biosafety Resource Guide and consult your institutional safety office for guidance on safe handling.
Storage: Store at -80 °C
AAV and lentiviral vectors should be stored immediately at -80 °C. For best storage, the vials should be stored in the back of the freezer where they are less likely to be influenced by temperature changes associated with opening the freezer door.
Addgene does not recommend subjecting your viral preparation to multiple freeze/thaw cycles, as this can cause its degradation. However, if you plan to use it for multiple experiments, thaw the viral preparation, aliquot the desired volume, and snap-freeze in liquid nitrogen or a dry ice/ethanol bath before storing at -80 °C.
Viral vector stability at -80 °C varies depending on the media composition and the virus identity. Once you receive your viral vector, Addgene recommends using it within one year.
Use: Thawing and Working with your Viral Vectors
Lentiviral Vectors
Lentiviral stocks should be thawed immediately before use and then kept on ice. While Addgene provides titer values for each lot of viral vectors, transduction efficiency will vary among cell lines. Therefore, Addgene recommends performing transductions with serial dilutions of your viral vector stock.
Helpful Links and Protocols:
- Lentiviral Guide
- Protocol: Colony Formation Titering Assay for Lentivirus
- Protocol: Generating Stable Cell Lines with Lentivirus
- Complete List of Viral Protocols
- Blog: Viral Vector Posts
AAV
AAV stocks should be thawed immediately before use on ice or at room temperature and then kept on ice. AAV viral tropism is determined by many factors and will vary between cell lines or host tissues. For in vitro work, a dose-response/serial dilution study in your cell line(s) of interest is best. For in vivo work, review the literature.
Helpful Links and Protocols:
Viral Vector Verification
Learn more about Addgene's procedures for viral vector production and quality control here. Before beginning your experiment, we encourage you to refer to the primary publication associated with the transfer plasmid. Please use the search bar at the top of the page to search for the catalog number of your viral service material for additional information. If you believe that your viral vector stock is incorrect, please notify Addgene within 60 days.
Citations in Future Publications
Viral vectors were prepared using plasmids created by your colleagues. Please acknowledge the Principal Investigator, cite the article listed on the plasmid datasheet, and include the Addgene plasmid number in future publications. Be sure to include citation information for both the viral vector and the packaging plasmid used in the production of your viral vector.
Contact Addgene
Thank you for requesting viral service from Addgene. If you have questions or would like to speak with an Addgene scientist, contact us at [email protected].