Microarray hybridisation system uses novel agitation technology based on surface acoustic waves that efficiently mixes the sample during the incubation process
GRI Molecular Biology, a supplier of biotechnology instrumentation, will promote the new ArrayBooster microarray hybridisation system from Advalytix.
The inclusion of the Advalytix product line into GRI's range will ensure that UK scientists have access to the latest in cutting edge microarray technology.
The ArrayBooster will be supported and sold by GRI Molecular Biology's technical sales specialists.
Microarray substrates are mostly conventional microscope slides with up to several thousand spots of oligonucleotides or cDNA probes with known identity, covering the slide in a checkerboard pattern.
In standard experimental set-ups the sample is sandwiched between the DNA microarray and a cover slip forming a reaction chamber. In this situation, diffusion is the only mechanism for the DNA strands to move within the capillary gap.
However, diffusion is a notoriously slow process for molecules the size of DNA strands, which may need to travel a distance of several centimetres to their complementary spots.
The diffusion limitation leads to low signal-to-noise ratios as only a fraction of the molecules present in the sample have a chance to bind to their complimentary spots.
Also, the slide-to-slide reproducibility as well as the homogeneity of replicate spots across the slide is negatively affected.
Generally, the system has not reached its equilibrium state in an overnight experiment.
Advalytix has developed a novel agitation technology based on surface acoustic waves (Saw) that efficiently mixes the sample during the incubation process.
Agitation allows the system to reach its equilibrium state in an overnight hybridisation.
Agitation reduces experimental variations of DNA hybridisation and increases signal-to-noise ratios.
The ArrayBooster is a low volume hybridisation station using Saw agitation to improve the biological results of DNA hybridisation.
The ArrayBooster increases the signal-to-noise ratio, improves the slide-to-slide reproducibility, enhances the homogeneity across the array and reduces incubation time.
