Lab Manager | Run Your Lab Like a Business

Product Round-up

PCR Reagents

Within a decade of its discovery in 1983, Real-Time PCR—also called quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)—evolved into one of the most powerful and sensitive gene analysis techniques available.

by Other Author

Within a decade of its discovery in 1983, Real-Time PCR—also called quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)—evolved into one of the most powerful and sensitive gene analysis techniques available. Real-time PCR measures PCR amplification as it occurs, so that it is possible to determine the starting concentration of nucleic acid.

Top 5 Questions You Should Ask When Buying PCR Reagents

1. What key performance attributes does the company’s reverse transcription and PCR reagents offer that the competition does not offer? Do these attributes make your choice the best fit for your application?

2. Are you able to submit data files and questions to your reagent provider to help ensure your lab’s success? Does your reagent provider offer on-site and electronic PCR application support, and technical phone support before and after product purchase?

3. PCR reagents have been on the market for many years. What improvements in enzyme engineering and buffering chemistry has the company taken to provide the latest in PCR reagents performance?

4. Does your reagent provider offer technical support to enable successful transitioning to the newest PCR reagent offerings whenever they become available?

5. What processes are in place to ensure minimal lot to lot variation of the reagents when generating data for a long-term study?

The applications our respondents are using PCR for in their labs, based on our latest survey data:

Gene expression 31%
Diagnostics 22%
Copy number analysis 12%
SNP genotyping 10%
DNA sequencing 10%
Microsatellite analysis 9%
Site-directed mutagenesis 4%
G-Storm 3%
Other 2%

What our readers are looking for from PCR instrument and reagent manufacturers:

Better quality reagents 93%
Lower prices 57%
Better technical support/customer service 43%
Wider selection of novel kits 17%
Faster delivery 15%
Other 5%

Top ten factors in the decision to purchase a PCR instrument:

Consistent quality of data 93%
Sensitivity 91%
Service and support 88%
Ease of use 86%
User-friendly controls/software interface 84%
Price 82%
Multiplexing capability 77%
Warranty 75%
High-throughput ability 61%
Linear dynamic range 61%

Recently Released PCR reagents & Products


iTaq™ Universal and iTaq Universal Probes
• Compatible with any real-time PCR instrument
• 2x concentrated, ready-to-use reaction master mixes
• Made with a proprietary optimized buffer formulation for maximum sensitivity, efficiency and reproducibility
• Particularly useful when utilizing real-time PCR instruments that require ROX fluorescent dyes
• Eliminate the need to change reagents between experiments and instruments

Bio-Rad
www.bio-rad.com


SPRIworks HT System for Fragment Library Preparation
Allows researchers to process libraries with greater speed and sample reproducibility
• Utilizes built-in SPRI (Solid Phase Reversible Immobilization)-based per-well size selection
• Offers a reagent kit for library preparation that includes sizing solution and PCR reagents

Beckman Coulter
www.beckmancoulter.com


RapidTip®2 PCR Purification Product
• Enables one minute, one step PCR purification with polymerase removal for use prior to cloning or Sanger sequencing using just a single functional pipette tip and pipettor
• Does not require additional reagents, consumables, or equipment
• Comes pre-packed in a single pipette tip • Available in two different tip formats

Diffinity Genomics
www.diffinitygenomics.com


Purifier® Filtered PCR Enclosure
• Provides a controlled environment to perform polymerase chain reaction tests
• Minimizes the risk of cross contamination by producing an ISO Class 5 work area and utilizing a UV light to denature contaminating DNA or RNA
• Includes a pre-filter and a 99.99% efficient HEPA filter to create ISO Class 5 air

Labconco
www.labconco.com

PCR Reagents Manufacturers

Affymetrix/USB www.affymetrix.com
Agilent - Stratagene Products www.stratagene.com
Ambion www.ambion.com
AnaSpec www.anaspec.com
Applied Biosystems www.appliedbiosystems.com
Beckman Coulter www.beckmancoulter.com
Bio-Rad www.bio-rad.com
Bulldog Bio www.bulldog-bio.com
Diffinity Genomics www.diffinitygenomics.com
EMD Chemicals www.emdchemicals.com
Finnzymes www.finnzymes.us
GFS Chemicals www.gfschemicals.com
IDT www.idtdna.com
Invitrogen www.invitrogen.com
Labnet International www.labnetlink.com
Lucigen www.lucigen.com
New England Biolabs www.neb.com
Promega www.promega.com
Roche Applied Science www.roche-applied-science.com
Sigma-Aldrich www.sial.com
SPEX CertiPrep www.spexcsp.com
SABiosciences www.sabiosciences.com