Abstract
Advion
Chip-Mate
The Chip-Mate ESI chip-based nano-LC ion source for applications requiring small micron ID high-performance liquid chromatography columns and nano-electrospray ionization is an addition to the TriVersa NanoMate family of nano-ESI solutions. According to Advion, the Chip-Mate is an affordable, compact, robust, easy-to use nano-LC ion source that features the same stable and reliable ionization, spray sensing, and next nozzle features proven in the TriVersa NanoMate. These important features are required for proteomic applications as well as highly regulated assays such as biomarker/biosimilar and small-molecule quantification using nano-LC. Advion has also created a fit-for-purpose smaller array ESI Chip with 25 emitter nozzles capable of running 1 month for routine usage environments.
More: www.advion.com
Akonni Biosystems and Hamilton Company
TruTip Extraction Products for Hamilton Microlab STAR Workstations
According to Akonni Biosystems, starting from fresh or frozen blood, buffy coat, and soon tissue or cells, these new TruTip kits extract superior-quality human genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (gDNA) simultaneously from 8 to 96 samples in just 57 min on the Hamilton Microlab STAR line of robotic liquid-handling workstations. The system does not require a magnetic head, vacuum manifold, centrifuge, or other space-consuming or expensive capital equipment. PCR inhibition due to bead carryover is also eliminated, because there are no magnetic beads required, as are errors due to clogging typically caused by vacuum manifolds.
The TruTip family of products uses a porous nucleic acid binding matrix embedded in a pipette tip and extracts DNA or RNA using well-understood chaotropic salt chemistry. This new kit for gDNA completes the entire extraction process (including a fully automated onboard heat incubation step) in less than 1 h (20 min for heat incubation and 37 min for extraction) and is more than 250% faster than most traditional high-throughput approaches.
More: www.akonni.com
Bio-Rad Laboratories
Two Surface Plasmon Resonance Kits
When used with the ProteOn XPR36 Protein Interaction Analysis System, these surface plasmon resonance kits enable the accurate analysis of lipids and membrane proteins with peptides and small molecules. The new hydrophilic ProteOn LCP liposome capturing kit and the Lipophilic ProteOn GLC lipid kit stably and selectively capture lipids and lipid assemblies for easier screening and analysis of membrane protein targets during drug discovery.
With the ProteOn LCP liposome capturing kit, the ProteOn LCP sensor employs memLayer technology to selectively and stably capture lipid assemblies. The native-lipid–like environment of the chip surface resembles the cell membrane. Proteins are not squashed on the surface and can be captured to ensure high-quality data. Workflow for this kit is based on novel hydrophilic surface chemistry. Capable of capturing multiple layers of lipid assemblies, this kit allows label-free detection for binding analysis of peptides and small molecules. It also empowers researchers to gauge drug absorption by monitoring interactions at the lipid’s surface and tracking uptake of molecules into the assembly. The ProteOn LCP capturing reagent kit, included in the ProteOn LCP liposome capturing kit, is used to activate the LCP sensor chip with a biotinylated DNA tag that then hybridizes to DNA-tagged lipid assemblies containing membrane proteins of interest. The surface is easily regenerated with water and ready for reuse.
The ProteOn GLC lipid kit provides a basic, easy-to-use option to study interactions of membranes with proteins and peptides. The kit can capture lipoparticles containing membrane protein drug targets of interest. Antibodies against those drug targets are then screened to measure binding kinetics. Users can customize the lipophilicity of the GLC sensor surface before capturing lipid assemblies (e.g., proteoliposomes and lipoparticles) by controlling the amount of alkylamine that is bound to the sensor surface. This provides greater experimental flexibility because the surface is stable and regenerable.
More: http://bit.ly/LCP_LiposomeCapturing or http://bit.ly/GLC_Lipid">
iTaq Universal Supermixes
According to Bio-Rad, its two new iTaq Universal supermixes are compatible with any real-time PCR instrument and can enable users to obtain high-quality data across all real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) applications. The supermixes include the iTaq Universal SYBR Green Supermix and the iTaq Universal Probes Supermix, both of which are 2× concentrated, ready-to-use reaction master mixes. Both supermixes are made with an optimized buffer formulation for maximum sensitivity, efficiency, and reproducibility. iTaq Unversial supermixes, which contain a blend of multiple passive reference dyes, are considered particularly useful for real-time PCR instruments that require ROX fluorescent dyes. A single supermix can be used, eliminating the need to change reagents between experiments and instruments. The SYBR Green supermix is optimized for dye-based qPCR and contains SYBR Green I dye, whereas the Probes supermix is formulated for probe-based qPCR (simplex or duplex).
CeeTox and Cellular Dynamics International
Cardiac Arrhythmia Assessment Screen
The new Cardiac Arrhythmia Assessment Screen (CAAS) is a predictive cardiac safety screening service that uses human-induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes. CAAS combines CeeTox’s expertise with in vitro toxicity screening and CDI’s iCell Cardiomyocytes to provide a comprehensive profile of drug-induced cardiac toxicity early in the drug development cycle. CAAS provides a fast, real-time assessment of drug-induced cardiac arrhythmias and biochemical cytotoxicity, thus enabling researchers to monitor both acute and longer-term effects, in contrast to the single time point results obtained with other assays.
More: www.ceetox.com or www.cellulardynamics.com
Cisbio Bioassays
Three New Cell-Based Kinase Assays
Cisbio Bioassays has added three kinase assays to its cell-based kinase-screening platform. All three are based on its HTRF technology. The assays, Phospho-STAT3 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3; Tyr705), Phospho-p38 MAPK (Thr180/Tyr182), and Phospho-IKKβ (Ser177/Ser181), involve targets that are associated with many diseases, including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and acute lung injury. Specifically, the assays provide a target in a physiological environment and enable the analysis of signaling pathways in response to drug treatment.
As with all HTRF-based assays, the three new cellular kinase assays are homogeneous, nonradioactive and non–bead based. Their mix and read protocol eliminates washing steps, and long signal stability and flexibility allow for multiple experiments—including small series—without special equipment.
More: www.cisbio.com
Epigenetics Toolbox
Cisbio’s new epigenetics toolbox offers a selection of conjugates specifically developed for epigenetics studies. The toolbox works in combination with Cisbio Bioassays’ other HTRF-based reagents to provide a single, robust, and easy-to-use technology for studying classes such as histone methylation and histone demethylation.
More: www.cisbio.com
Phospho-MEK1 and Phospho-MEK1/2 HTRF Cellular Kinase Assays
These assays, designed for detecting and studying activated MEK when phosphorylated at Ser218 and 222 directly in whole cells, can be used for the investigation of the MAP kinase pathway and therefore the screening of potential anticancer therapeutic compounds. Cisbio’s kinase-screening platform now comprises 11 assays. All assays feature the benefits of HTRF technology: streamlined protocols, miniaturization, and application to any phase of drug screening.
More: www.cisbio.com
GE Healthcare
illustra Ready-To-Go GenomiPhi Kits
These new kits provide a predispensed, room temperature–stable formulation for whole-genome amplification, enabling a simplified workflow for obtaining large amounts of high-quality DNA from small genomic DNA samples. The new kits also deliver improved yields over the current GenomiPhi kits. Previous GenomiPhi kits contained liquid enzyme formulations that required storage at −80 °C. These new kits incorporate GE Healthcare’s Ready-To-Go stabilization technology, which delivers single-dose reaction mixes in a solid format that can be stored for months at the bench without the need for refrigeration. illustra Ready-To-Go GenomiPhi kits can be used to amplify DNA from blood lysates and dried blood spots. A protocol has been developed for amplification from Whatman FTA card punches with minimal handling.
The new illustra Ready-To-Go GenomiPhi kits are available in two formats. Ready-To-Go GenomiPhi V3 improves on the current GenomiPhi V2 kit with more than double the previous DNA yield. Ready-To-Go GenomiPhi HY is specifically developed for high-yield requirements, achieving 40 to 60 µg DNA yield from just 10 ng of starting DNA. Both kits are available in 8-well strips or in 96-well plate formats.
SeraCare Life Sciences
Human Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells
Off-the-shelf human cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMNCs) are now available within SeraCare’s line of AccuCell mononuclear cells. With viability after thaw validated at greater than 90%, SeraCare cryopreserved CBMNCs are considered ideal for use in stem cell research, drug discovery, vaccine manufacture, production of cell-based products and instrumentation, and cell production, translation, separation, or expansion services.
SeraCare CBMNCs are processed at ISO-certified facilities following a rigorous, validated process, with donor material collected at facilities regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The product is available in large lots to support long-term research initiatives and comparisons across multiple labs.
More: www.seracarecatalog.com
Worldwide HCV RNA and Anti–HTLV I/II Mixed Titer Performance Panels
According to SeraCare, its new (third) Worldwide HCV RNA Performance Panel is the only commercially available panel of samples collected from HCV-infected individuals in regions around the world where less common HCV genotypes predominate. The panel includes samples of most of the known genotypes, including genotypes 5 and 6. The (eighth) Worldwide HCV RNA Performance Panel assists in evaluating HCV assays using well-characterized specimens of varied genotypes. The panel data sheet includes results for HCV genotype and RNA tests as well as anti-HCV using a variety of commercially available assays.
The SeraCare Anti-HTLV I/II Mixed Titer Performance Panel contains 21 undiluted, naturally occurring plasma samples collected from different individuals who tested positive for antibodies to Human T-Lymphotropic virus. With a range of reactivities from negative to strongly positive for anti-HTLV, the panel provides samples to challenge assays for anti-HTLV I, II, or I/II and includes results from five anti-HTLV screening tests as well as three confirmatory methods. According to SeraCare, with this new addition to its performance panel line, it currently offers the only panel tested with the Avioq HTLV assay, which was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
More: www.seracarecatalog.com
Takara Bio Europe
Clontech Nontoxic Transfection Products
Xfect siRNA Transfection Reagent and Xfect Adult Stem Cell Transfection Reagent are two new additions to Takara Bio Europe’s line of Clontech nontoxic transfection products. As well as ensuring efficient delivery of siRNA for gene-silencing experiments, Xfect siRNA transfection reagent is easy to use and offers low toxicity, because the biodegradable nanoparticles created by the binding of the reagent to double-stranded RNA maximize viability of transfected cells. Similarly, according to Takara, Xfect Adult Stem Cell Transfection Reagent has been designed for efficient transfection of the two types of human adult stem cells that are most commonly used by the research community: mesenchymal stem cells and adipose-derived stem cells.
More: www.clontech.com
TAP Biosystems
RAFT System
According to TAP, its new RAFT (Real Architecture for 3D Tissue) System generates consistent and reproducible 3D cell cultures at physiologically relevant collagen concentrations. The simple three-step RAFT process of mix, make, and measure simplifies the route to improved results from 3D experiments. Users mix the reagents from the kit with their cells, pipette into 96-well plates, and incubate on the plate heater for 30 min to form a cell-seeded collagen hydrogel. The RAFT plate is placed on the hydrogels, and in 15 min, the medium is absorbed gently, leaving cells encapsulated in physiological strength collagen, which is considered ideal for use in their cell-based assays.
More: www.tapbiosystems.com