Tecan’s Infinite M1000 plate reader has enabled researchers to automate hourly measurements for the study of insect circadian clocks.
David Doleže at the Institute of Entomology (ENTU), explained: “The expression of circadian genes is studied using transgenic Drosophila containing luciferase reporter genes controlled by the promoter of the gene under study.
“This requires a microplate reader that includes a luminescence module equipped with filters to discriminate between red and green luciferases, allowing us to follow multiple genes per well. Automatic plate transfer is also essential in order for measurements to be performed at regular intervals throughout the day and night.”
Doleže continued: “The Infinite M1000’s compact size means that it fits easily into our laboratory incubator, so we can precisely control light and temperature and investigate the effect of environmental variables."
The microplate format allowed the researchers to load hundreds of flies into the plate reader at the same time, automating large-scale screens of mutant Drosophila strains and performing hundreds of measurements over a period of up to two weeks.
