Summary of selected storage conditions and preserving faecal samples for a microbiome study_
| Stabilization compounds/solutions | Storage temperature | Storage period | Influence on stability of microbiota | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratec DNA stabilizer | Room temperature | 7 days | Stable microbiota profiles, minimal changes in diversity. | (Chen et al., 2020) |
| OMNIgene-GUT DNA stabilizer | Room temperature | 7 days | Microbiota minimal changes, high DNA stability. | (Chen et al., 2020) |
| DESS (DMSO-EDTA-salt) | Room temperature | 1–3 weeks | Microbiome stability without significant changes in diversity (using targeted extraction methods). | (Kawada et al., 2019) |
| Homemade preservation buffer (EDTA, DSD*, SCTD*, ammonium sulfate) | Room temperature | 4 weeks | Stability in room temperature (or in high temperatures up to 5 days), ideal when freezing isn’t available. | (Wu & Chen et al., 2021) |
| OMNIgene-GUT or NBgene-GUT | Room temperature | 65 days | The best method for room temperature storage is stable microbiome profiles comparable to frozen samples | (Park et al., 2020) |
| 95% Ethanol, OMNIgene-GUT | Room temperature | 8 weeks | Both methods effectively maintain microbiome stability | (Song et al., 2016) |
| Ethanol (100%) | Room temperature | 8 weeks | Stable microbiome, alternative to freezing, suitable for long-term storage (study on spider monkey’s stool) | (Hale et al., 2015) |
| No stabilizer | –20°C | 24 h | Minimal changes in taxonomic diversity, good DNA quality. | (Cardona et al., 2012) |
| No stabilizer | –20°C (after 48h at 4°C) | 48–96 h | Minimal changes in microbiome and SCFA composition, indicating that 24h refrigeration preserves sample integrity. | (Cunningham et al., 2020) |
| No stabilizer | –80°C | 48 h | Stable microbiota diversity, high DNA yield, minimal changes in bacterial composition | (Biclot et al., 2022) |
| eNAT® medium | –80°C | 30 days at room temperature, then freezing | Stability of microbiome maintained after 30 days at room temperature, no significant changes in diversity and composition | (Young et al., 2020) |
| 10% Glycerol | –80°C/liquid nitrogen | 12 months | Microbiome stability maintained for 12 months, better diversity than ethanol-preserved samples at room temperature | (Li et al., 2023) |