Evaluation of ensilication technology for ambient DNA preservation

Abstract

Current nucleic acid preservation relies on ultra-low temperature storage (-20 {degrees}C to -80 {degrees}C), imposing significant infrastructure, cost, and accessibility barriers that limit genomic medicine worldwide. We present a comprehensive evaluation of ensilication, a silica-based encapsulation method enabling ambient-temperature preservation of DNA without compromising sequencing fidelity. Across clinical, genomic, and biochemical analyses, ensilication maintained complete diagnostic concordance with cryogenic controls, detecting all actionable variants in FFPE tumor samples, even at low variant allele frequencies. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that frozen storage accumulated up to 65% more artifactual C>T mutations than ensilicated samples, underscoring its potential to reduce false-positive calls in oncology. Both linear and circular DNA libraries preserved structural integrity across temperatures from -80 {degrees}C to 37 {degrees}C. By eliminating cold-chain dependence, ensilication enables decentralized biobanking, point-of-care testing, and equitable access to precision oncology, enabling globally accessible cancer genomics. Its compatibility with emerging sequencing platforms positions ensilication as a foundational technology for next-generation diagnostics and large-scale population studies.