Bio-Rad Laboratories has launched the Trans-Blot Turbo transfer system, a rapid western-blotting instrument that allows researchers to efficiently transfer proteins from gel to blot in three minutes.
Transfers using traditional methods can be time consuming, and reproducibility among users is often a problem.
The Trans-Blot Turbo system is said to eliminate any user-to-user variation concerns, making it possible to create high-quality, reproducible blots in a fraction of the time.
Conventional tank and semi-dry western blotting protocols require time-consuming reagent preparation and set-up, followed by an electrophoretic transfer that can take up to an hour or overnight to complete.
Researchers using the Trans-Blot Turbo system can overcome this bottleneck by reducing their transfer time to three to seven minutes, depending on protein size.
The Trans-Blot Turbo system uses pre-packaged Turbo transfer packs that include proprietary blotting paper, buffer, and membrane (nitrocellulose or PVDF), eliminating the time and hassle associated with the preparation of typical western blots.
It is said to deliver better transfer efficiency compared with traditional methods, enabling the detection of proteins larger than 200kD.
The short set-up and transfer times, coupled with the system's ability to transfer four mini gels or two midi gels simultaneously, results in more data in less time.
In addition, the Trans-Blot Turbo system allows users to control transfer conditions and is compatible with standard semi-dry protocols and consumables.
'The Trans-Blot Turbo transfer system has allowed our researchers to streamline transfers, decreasing processing times from hours to a matter of minutes,' said Ian MacRae, assistant professor at the Scripps Research Institute in California.
Pre-assembled and pre-packaged Turbo transfer packs mean no additional buffer or membrane preparations are needed, reducing time and waste normally associated with traditional western-blotting methods.
