RainDance Technologies said this week that it has added one-step single molecule RNA detection capabilities to its RainDrop Digital PCR system.
The new workflow provides researchers with a simple method of counting individual RNA target molecules. Available immediately to all current and future RainDrop customers, the new capabilities are compatible with existing one-step master mix solutions and a range of qPCR probes, the company said.
RainDance also said that it will present experimental data from the new workflow at the Cambridge Healthtech Institute Digital PCR Conference, to be held Oct.7-9 in San Diego.
The presentations will include data demonstrating that the new workflow has a wide dynamic range of six logs, enabling scientists to detect very low- and very high-abundance targets at the same time. This level of performance is crucial in many viral load detection applications, such as HIV and human papillomavirus studies where dose can vary greatly and emerging minor drug resistant strains need to be quantitatively analyzed.
The company will also present data showing multiplex analysis of four different gene targets, and detection of very subtle RNA level changes of plus or minus 10 percent.
"Digital single-molecule counting of RNA molecules is ultimately the most precise, sensitive, and accurate means of analysis." Andrew Watson, chief commercial officer at RainDance, said in a statement. "Other methods, such as RNA sequencing, have many processing and amplification steps that introduce significant bias."
Mo Bio Laboratories has launched the UltraClean-htp 96 Well Swab DNA kit.
The new product is designed for rapid mechanical lysis of microbial cells from low-biomass and low-inhibitor-containing swabs, paper, or filter paper for direct application to PCR for metagenomic analysis.
Mo Bio also said that the kit enables 10-minute release of microbial DNA from up to 96 swabs for immediate PCR analysis; bead-based homogenization, which increases DNA release in low-biomass samples and ensures unbiased microbial DNA representation; and compatibility with any PCR enzyme and master mix.