LabChip GX Touch 24 (Nucleic acid separation system)

Instrument Details

• Make : PerkinElmer, USA
• Model : LabChip GX Touch 24

Specifications :

• The comprehensive solution for genomic sizing and quantitation
• Quantitate DNA and RNA sample integrity hours faster than agarose gels
• Maximize rare or low-concentration samples like liquid biopsy / cell-free DNA (cfDNA), PCR-free, and ChIP-Seq
• Accurate quantitation down to 25 pg/uL for DNA smears and .5 pg/uL for fragments
• Complete NGS library prep and QC
• Flexible throughput options – 96 or 384-well format – make it cost-efficient
• Data visualization options (electropherogram, virtual gel, or tabular report)

Working Principle: Genetic Analyzer: Capillary Electrophoresis OverviewThe LabChip GX assays are based on traditional gel electrophoresis principles that have been transferred to a chip format. The chip format dramatically reduces separation time and provides automated sizing and quantitation information in a digital format.The chip contains an interconnected set of microchannels that join the separation channel and buffer wells. One of the microchannels is connected to a short capillary that extends from the bottom of the chip at a 90-degree angle. The capillary sips sample from the wells of a microplate during the assay.Some of the channels in the chip are larger than others. The larger channels contain buffer. During the chip preparation, the smaller channels and some of the wells are filled with sieving gel and buffer. After the channels are filled, the chip functions as an integrated electrical circuit. The circuit is driven by the 7 electrodes in the electrode cartridge that contact solutions in the chip’s wells when the chip holder is closed. Each electrode is connected to an independent power supply that provides maximum control and flexibility.The polymer filling the smaller channels in the chip is designed to sieve DNA/RNA fragments or proteins by size as they are driven through it by means of electrophoresis, similar to using agarose or polyacrylamide gels. The sample and sieving buffers also contain a fluorescent dye that gets brighter upon binding to double-stranded DNA, RNA, or protein/SDS complex.

In the chip, each sample is sipped by negative pressure until a sufficient quantity is loaded in the chip. The sample is then moved electrophoretically into the central channel. As the fragments move down the central channel, they separate by size, finally passing the laser that excites the fluorescent dye bound to the molecule. The software plots fluorescence intensity versus time and produces electropherograms for each sample. Quantitating the concentration and accurately sizing each fragment are achieved by comparing against a sizing ladder and running internal standards or “markers” with each sample. Internal standards of known concentration are mixed with the sample to aid in quantitation.

The amount of sample sipped into the chip depends on pH, salt concentration, and buffer additives. The internal standards normalize these factors so that the software can use the ratio of the area of the curve of the standard to the unknown peak to determine concentration directly. The internal standards lie slightly outside the assay range so they do not interfere with analysis.

Main Features of the Instrument With complete analysis of genomic material in about 30 seconds, the LabChip GX Touch system means that nucleic acid quantitation is no longer a workflow bottleneck. High-resolution analysis provides exact sizing and quantitation of DNA fragments and smears down to 5 bp from samples as small as 2 pg/uL. When used for RNA analysis, it provides critical RNA metrics such as peak heights, peak areas, and concentration, which are used to determine an RQS (RNA Quality Score) for each sample. The RQS calculation has been validated to correlate with Agilent’s RIN (RNA Integrity Number) and follows the same 0-10 scale rating.The LabChip GX Touch system offers a broad variety of DNA analysis options, including the NGS 3K assay, which provides unparalleled genomic data quality with minimal input requirements. This high degree of sensitivity also makes it the ideal instrument for gDNA, cfDNA, and PCR-Free quantitation, where concentrations are low, samples are precious, and their preservation is essential.

Application

• NGS library preparation (smear and fragment analysis) and quality control
• RNA and DNA fragment analysis (including cfDNA, Liquid Biopsy, and PCR-free samples)
• Quantitation and qualification for CRISPR targeting
• Replacing and automating time-consuming agarose gel workflows
• DNA and RNA quantitation and sizing can be done in seconds using automated capillary electrophoresis separation

Contact Us:

• Director, ICAR-CPRI,Shimla(H.P.)-171001
• Phone: 0177-2625073
• Mobile:+91-9418657678
• Email Id: director.cpri@icar.gov.in