FORMAzol® is molecular biology grade formamide that remains stable for one year when stored at 4 C or for two years when stored at -20 C. This stabilized formamide serves as an excellent RNA solubilizer and has been shown to have several advantages over water as an RNA solubilization agent (1). RNA solubilized in FORMAzol is protected from degradation by RNase and can be stored at -20 C instead of -70 C. Solubilization of RNA in formamide facilitates the application of RNA to a formaldehyde-agarose gel in northern analysis.