Results show improved consistency of PCR results with a two-component design
New reports from biotechnology company Azenta show that the two-component design of its FrameStar microplate range improves the consistency of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results by reducing thermal expansion and sample evaporation.
Other PCR and quantitative PCR plates use a polypropylene design due to having chemical inertness and ultra-thin tube walls which enable fast temperature transfer. This is currently considered the standard in industry and what is currently available on the market. However, its thermal expansion and evaporation properties make it less suitable for qPCR and next generation sequencing.
Azenta has made their product using polypropylene tubes in a polycarbonate frame. Researchers found this minimises the issue of evaporation qPCR inaccuracies. Fewer reagents are required owing to these component plates miniaturising the reaction volumes, a pivotal study found. This can also reduce operating costs, as reagents can be expensive in operations.
Using a more rigid plate frame which does not change in size during PCR, results in less distortion and weakness in seal attachment and provides more reliable data for quantification.
FrameStar PCR plates come in both 96- and 384-well formats. These come with a variety of skirt lengths (non, semi, and fully skirted) and well-frame colour combinations. 384-well plates are recommended for low-volume PCR, while 96-well plates are best for low and standard.
Azenta works across markets to provide solutions in drug development, clinical research and advanced cell therapies for the industry's top pharmaceutical, biotech, academic and healthcare institutions globally.
For more information about the study, please follow the link provided here.
