Storage and Reconstitution: Practical Bench Notes

Before opening the vial

Allow lyophilized peptide to equilibrate to room temperature before breaking the seal. Condensation on cold material can hydrolyze sensitive sequences.

Solvent selection

Bacteriostatic water is the default for many sequences but is not universal. Hydrophobic peptides may require a small percentage of acetic acid or DMSO to fully solubilize before dilution.

Aliquoting

Single-use aliquots eliminate freeze-thaw cycles, which are the single largest avoidable source of peptide degradation. Label every aliquot with sequence, concentration, lot, and date.

Documentation

A reconstitution log tied to lot numbers makes troubleshooting tractable months later when an unexpected result appears. Treat it as part of the experiment, not paperwork.