TE is composed of buffering agent Tris, and chelating agent EDTA. EDTA prevents degradation of DNA and RNA by chelating magnesium (or other divalent metal ions). Together, this Tris-EDTA based solution solubilizes DNA or RNA, while protecting it from degradation.

TE is useful for reconstituting nucleic acids, During DNA precipitation and other DNA applications, storing and diluting DNA and RNA, breaking protein-links in immuno-histochemistry procedures, and unmasking antigens and epitopes in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections.