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Bio-Rad Introduces an Assay Website That Allows Researchers to Identify or Design Their Own Droplet Digital™ PCR Assays

Bio-Rad
11 Aug 2016
Alex Waite
Editorial Assistant

Product news

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. has announced the launch of an assay website that allows droplet digital PCR (ddPCR™) users to locate existing assays or design new ones for mutation detection and copy number determination.

A critical aspect to the success of a ddPCR experiment is the use of a well-designed assay, which requires careful selection of PCR primers and probes specific to the gene of interest. Many factors influence assay design, such as amplicon length, GC content, sequence specificity, and melting temperature, all of which impact the final target sequence, primers, and probes. Flawed assay design can result in laborious testing and optimization, which may take several iterations.

Bio-Rad’s ddPCR assay website takes the guesswork out of ddPCR assay design and expands the portfolio of assays already available to ddPCR users. The website enables users to instantly design assays for any target of interest or order preexisting mutation detection and copy number determination assays.

Bio-Rad’s digital assay website makes it easy to access preexisting ddPCR assays or instantly design assays not already available for new targets.

The portfolio of preexisting assays includes nearly 1,000 wet-lab validated assays guaranteed to work when properly used and more than 2,500 predesigned assays that employ the same design criteria to deliver reliable and robust ddPCR results. Assays that have not been predesigned and/or validated can be designed in real time through the website and will include protocols to help users optimize their results for a high rate of success. Detailed information is provided for each assay, including the MIQE context sequence, amplicon length, compatible restriction enzymes, and recommended copy number variation reference assays.

Extending customer convenience further, Bio-Rad will also offer a combined assay format for mutation detection that includes both mutant and wild-type assays in a single tube. This format eliminates the potential for user error when assays are manually combined.

Additional benefits of Bio-Rad’s new assay design website include:

  • Comprehensive analysis of assay specificity — perform sequence alignment to human, mouse, or rat reference genomes
  • Multiple fluorophore options — choose either FAM or HEX probes for copy number determination assays
  • Assay validation tools — order positive-control DNA for mutation detection assays

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Cell / Tissue CultureCell culture or tissue culture is used to study the biology of cells or tissues and to isolate cellular products in an environment which can be manipulated and well defined. Accurately control your culture environment with bioreactors or culture incubators, bind your cells to a surface or together with an extracellular matrix. Distinguish cell types with differential media or proliferate cells with certain characteristics using selective media. Enrich your media with supplements such as growth factors, sera and vitamins. Find the best cell and tissue culture products, kits and equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Genome AnalysisGenomics, the study of genomes, includes functional genomics, evolutionary genomics and comparative genomics. There are many genomic technologies such as DNA sequencing of whole genomes, computational biology and bioinformatics. DNA and nucleic acids must be isolated and concentrated from cells for analysis with kits, automated analyzers and software. Other useful technologies for studying genomics include PCR, microarrays and electrophoresis.PCR and Thermal CyclingPolymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits and thermal cyclers are used for the in vitro amplification of DNA permitting subsequent analysis and experimental procedures. Explore a range of high-quality polymerase, primers and nucleotides or simplify your workflow with a PCR mastermix. Find reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and cDNA synthesis kits for RNA products and libraries. Quantitatively measure the amplification of DNA with real-time PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) kits and systems, and discover automated PCR setup solutions to increase throughput. Alternative DNA amplification methods also include recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) kits. 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Find the best cell-based assay products, kits and equipment with our peer reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receiving pricing direct from manufacturers.DNA SequencingDNA sequencing, such as sanger sequencing, is a biological technique that determines the precise order of nucleotide bases in a fragment or template of DNA. DNA sequencers and genetic analyzers are based on capillary electrophoresis, where labeled DNA fragments are electrophoretically separated by size as they migrate through a polymer. Find the best DNA sequencing products, including DNA sequencing kits, genomic libraries and genetic identity kits in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Droplet Digital PCRDroplet digital PCR (ddPCR) is a method of quantitative PCR that partitions a sample into droplets, allowing precise detection of low-abundance targets. 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Bio-Rad Introduces an Assay Website That Allows Researchers to Identify or Design Their Own Droplet Digital™ PCR Assays