 Real-Time PCR Thermocyclers
Oct 22 '07
Real-time PCR thermocyclers have become much more affordable in recent years, and many different options are available today. The instruments all do basically the same thing but, of course, different instruments offer greater flexibility than others. The price often reflects this. The main functional differences between instruments are the dynamic range and sensitivity, the number of reaction positions, the excitation wavelengths and the number of detection channels. Dynamic range and sensitivity are difficult to compare from printed specifications because of the different methods used for measurement – some will quote a number of target sequences, others will quote orders of magnitude and so on. The best way to assess these factors is simply by trialling the instruments! The number of reaction positions varies from fewer than 12 up to as many as 384. The majority of instruments cater to the standard 96-well format. Other instruments require the use of specific reaction vessels, rather than PCR tubes or plates. This can be awkward, time-consuming and expensive, but custom vessels often confer greater sensitivity and accuracy. Some (quartz) reaction vessels may also require adjustment and optimization. The type of excitation and detection mechanisms in the instrument define how many wavelengths can be used for detection of the various fluorophores available for Real-Time PCR, and how many fluorophores can be used in a single reaction. Lastly, the software control of the instruments is an important factor to consider. Easy to use, flexible software is often underrated in the purchase of instruments. Again, the only way to properly assess the ease of use for the software with any particular instrument is by trialling the machine.
Scott Coutts
Research Scientist
Monash University
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| Company |
Cepheid |
Corbett Life Science |
Idaho Technology Inc. |
Roche Applied Science |
| Item |
SmartCycler 9600 System |
Rotor-Gene™ 6000 Real-time rotary analyzer |
RapidCycler® 2 Instrument |
LightCycler® 480 System |
| Price |
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| Description |
The SmartCycler® System is a rapid, real-time thermal cycler used for identifying DNA/RNA from prepared biological samples. By automating much of the testing process, and making each reaction site individually programmable, it is the fastest, easiest to use, and most flexible system now on the market...
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The Rotor-Gene 6000 is the first of its kind – a new generation of real-time analyzers with performance so advanced it unlocks new research possibilities. It is in fact the only instrument system capable of both real-time amplification and HRM (high-resolution melt) analyses...
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The RapidCycler® is the first instrument engineered to match the speed of biochemical reactions and is used by thousands of research centers worldwide. It uses 1.5 mm Roche LightCycler® Capillary tubes which are ideally suited for high-speed temperature cycling due to their thin walls and extremely high surface-area-to-volume ratio...
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Combining amazing speed with exceptional accuracy, the LightCycler® 480 Real-Time PCR System is a novel platform for gene-expression and melting curve-based mutation analysis. The compact yet versatile LightCycler® 480 benchtop instrument can be interfaced with robotics to create an automated high-throughput...
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| Catalog Number |
SC2000N18-1 |
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RCL2-ASY-0002 |
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| Computer |
Computer Supplied |
Minimum requirements: Pentium IV, 2 GHz, 512 MB RAM, Windows XP® operating system, USB or RS232 Serial Port connection |
Single screen programming. All cycle parameters are displayed on a single 4 x 20 LCD screen. Sixteen button keypad with cursor keys for convenient user input. |
Pentium PC with Windows XP |
| Detection |
4 Channel (510-527, 565-590, 606-650, 670-750) |
Photomultiplier (PMT) detector with user-selected variable or automatic gain setting (sensitivity control) |
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6 detection filters, signals detected online by CCD camera |
| Excitation |
4 Channel (450–495, 500-550, 565-590, 630-650 ) |
Separate high-intensity LED excitation source for each channel.
Up to 6 channels are available spanning Infa-Red to UV wavelengths |
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5 excitation filters, high-intensity broad-spectrum xenon lamp |
| Wells |
96 independently programmable reaction sites |
36, 72, & 100 wells (via user-interchangeable rotors) |
48 sample
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Blocks for either 96 or 384 samples, easily exchangeable by user |
| Dynamic Range |
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1 to 108 copies/well detectable (viral target) |
| Cycling System |
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Air (non-peltier); Range=ambient to 99°C; Max. Ramp Rate 10°C/sec;
Uniformity ±0.01°C; Resolution ±0.02°C |
99 per program |
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| Voltage |
100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz, 350 Watts |
110-120VAC @ 60Hz, 200-240VAC @ 50Hz;
Power consumption 8W (standby), 560W (peak) |
100-120 VAC, 8.0A or 220-230 VAC, 4.0A |
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NOTE: Biocompare disclaims any information on this site. Price information is approximate list price and actual prices may vary.
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