"Time is money" - you could almost think that Benjamin Franklin was standing in the PCR lab when he created this world-famous quote. The many preparation and pipetting steps in a PCR workflow can cost a lot of time and money - and a lot of nerves when, after many hours, not a single band can be seen in the gel. A protocol clean-up can help here. At Genaxxon we have also thought about how we can help you to simplify your PCR workflow. That's why we offer now our new product line "SimplyEnlight PCR" to simplify your PCR workflow to a single preparation step.
Since the isolation of the first Taq DNA polymerase in 1976, PCR has become an integral part of the molecular biology laboratory. Of course, methods, reagents and protocols have evolved. The goal is clear: to make it better, faster, cheaper, and easier. Every day, lab technicians, students and scientists around the world spend countless hours pipetting and preparing PCR experiments. This makes it even more frustrating when errors and contamination only become apparent in the final step of the PCR workflow.
But how can the work in the PCR laboratory be optimised to ultimately minimise sources of error and at the same time save time, money, and nerves? We at Genaxxon would like to shed some light into the darkness of the laboratory and show how our new product line "SimplyEnlight PCR" can help to optimise your PCR workflow along a typical PCR workflow.
What does a typical PCR workflow look like?
A typical PCR experiment consists of 3 steps: PCR amplification, gel electrophoresis and visualisation. Each of these steps requires specific reagents and materials:
- PCR amplification: template, primers, DNA polymerase, buffer, dNTPs, MgCl2
- Gel electrophoresis: gel loading dye
- Visualisation: nucleic acid staining dye
In addition, each of these steps requires preparation. For example, the PCR master mix needs to be pipetted and mixed before PCR amplification, the gel loading dye needs to be pipetted before gel electrophoresis, and the nucleic acid needs to be stained before visualisation. All of this requires countless pipetting steps, which, as mentioned above, costs a lot of time, money and nerves because each individual pipetting step is also a potential source of error and increases the likelihood of contamination.
How can this time-consuming PCR workflow be simplified?
Imagine if you could reduce this workflow to a single preparation step. You would save countless pipetting steps and reach your goal faster and with less risk of contamination. We at Genaxxon can now make this possible with our new Red MasterMix Fluoro (2X) with gel stain.
How does it work? Red MasterMix Fluoro (2X) is a 3-in-1 master mix - it contains not only the typical master mix components such as DNA polymerase, buffer, dNTPs and MgCl2, but also the gel loading dye and nucleic acid stain. All you need to do is mix the Red MasterMix Fluoro (2X) with your templates and primers in a single step and you are ready to go for PCR amplification, gel electrophoresis and visualisation.
The integrated nucleic acid stain is also a non-toxic fluorescent dye with guaranteed high sensitivity. Like other non-toxic EtBr substitutes (GelRed®, SafeGel), it can be disposed of with normal household waste.
What about the DNA ladder?
Of course, the use of a 3-in-1 master mix only makes sense if you can dispense with further staining steps for the DNA ladder. Therefore, we can now offer you our GenLadder 100 bp Plus with integrated gel loading dye and nucleic acid stain - our ready-to-use DNA ladder with 12 blunt-ended fragments in sizes between 100 and 1000bp as well as additional bands at 1500bp and 3000bp. In addition, the bands of the 500bp and 1500bp fragments have a higher intensity for easier identification.
Great! But could there be more?
We thought so too and are now successively able to offer you even more suitable devices: The new LED transilluminators pBLooK™, BLooK™ and µBLooK™ and the gel electrophoresis system gelBLooK™.
All of these devices are small, handy and provide results quickly and easily. The pBLooK™ is a handy pocket-sized device that allows you to check in advance whether your PCR has worked with our Red MasterMix Fluoro (2X) - a positive fluorescent signal means that the nucleic acid has been successfully amplified. This gives you the first results of your PCR before gel electrophoresis.
The BLooK™ and the smaller µBLooK™ are exceptional blue light LED transilluminators that can be used for easy gel visualisation. By using blue light (470nm) the nucleic acid is not damaged and no separate eye or skin protection is required. Thanks to the small 'darkroom' included, you can easily take a photo of the gel with your smartphone - it couldn't be easier!
Want to change completely? Then the gelBLooK™ combines a gel electrophoresis system with a blue light LED transilluminator. This allows you to visualise your gel immediately after gel electrophoresis with the help of blue light and conveniently photograph it with your smartphone.
And if you want to use this system without the Red MasterMix Fluoro (2X), we have good news for you: All instruments are compatible with commercially available fluorescent dyes with excitation wavelengths around 470 nm - including Genaxxon's DNA Loading Buffer I Fluoro. In addition, gelBLooK™ and BLooK™ come with gel knives so you can easily cut your specific target out of the gel for further experiments.
Sound good? Then try the new product line "SimplyEnlight PCR" now and simplify your PCR workflow!
