Forice materials studio annealing reference series#
Many of Bio-Rad’s devices, like iCycler, MyIQ, and the CFX series allow an opportunity to program a thermal gradient across the reaction block, thereby facilitating protocol optimization. Nowadays contemporary biotech companies compete with multiplexing capacities of devices they launch to the market, but in common use, multiplexing more than 4 targets is rarely necessary.Ĭompatibility with laboratory robotics is also an advantage of QuantStudio 6 Flex, Roche’s LightCycler 1536 and Thermo Fisher’s 7900HT, enabling a hands-free loading, unloading and data analysis. QuantStudio 7 and 12 can simultaneously detect as much as 21 target sequences in a single reaction, whereas Takara’s TP800 only detects two. Reaction speed is important some models offer a 'Fast' option, further boosting throughput, permitting a standard rtPCR reaction to complete in about 30 minutes for a standard 96-well plate and 55 minutes for a 384 well plate.ĭifferent systems also vary in multiplexing abilities. Quiagen’s RotorGene series is an interesting option from this perspective, as it offers relatively inexpensive and highly reliable PCR devices with open chemistry platforms, but reaction vessels and maintenance costs come at a higher price. On the other hand, a more reasonable price of the machinery itself can be negotiated for a closed system, as the user is highly dependent on the manufacturer’s consumables. This is the case with most cyclers produced by Thermo Fisher Scientific (previously Applied Biosystems). Apart from often being pricey, this option greatly reduces flexibility in terms of general supply and experiment optimization. Many companies produce so-called “closed systems”, requiring the use of specific reagents, kits or reaction vessels, produced by the same manufacturer as the PCR machine itself. The price of consumables is another point of consideration. Eppendorf’s Mastercycler X 50 can connect up to 50 PCR systems in this manner. A handy way to boost throughput and maintain sample size flexibility is networking multiple independently controlled devices onto the same computer. Thermo Fisher’s QuantStudio 3 and 5 do not come with replaceable sample blocks, limiting the user to work with the predesigned format. A related issue is an option to interchange sample blocks to accommodate different sample sizes. Most devices, however, are adapted for 96-well or 384 well plates. LightCycler® 2.0 accommodates only 32 samples, while LightCycler®1536 can hold up to 1536 samples. These systems spin the samples in a temperature controlled chamber, thereby achieving thermal uniformity.
Quiagen with Rotor-Gene series and Roche with LightCycler® 2.0, came up with a different solution, innovating the design of the apparatus to a form of a carousel. Bio-Rad, in its CFX series, incorporated six independent thermal electric modules to monitor each sample during all phases of the run. There are many approaches to overcome this problem. This construction is prone to “edge effects”, achieving different temperatures in samples located on the periphery compared to the center of the block. Most systems use sample blocks with Peltier elements that accommodate tubes, tube strips or microtiter plates. The design of the rtPCR apparatus comes in different forms. At present, however, an optimally configured rtPCR device meets the needs of most laboratories for day-to-day genomic applications. One of the first considerations is whether one should employ an endpoint PCR, q(rt)PCR or a digital PCR device. A user can choose among many available options according to research goals, throughput needs and financial capacity. A single PCR model cannot accommodate all the needs of the research community.
Table 1 lists the commonly used models and some of their important characteristics, some of the models are also discussed in detail below. The global market of these devices has substantially grown in the past three decades with a large number of models with various characteristics. PCR machines are a must-have in any life science research lab today.