evaporation problem - (Aug/03/2006 )

hi all,

i'm about to purchase a PCR array from superarray and want a problem solved first.... i use a biorad iCycler and sybr green technology, with 96-well plates and sealing film from abgene. the problem is that no matter how well i try to seal the film on the plate, i always seem to get evaporation from the outside rows/columns. as the pcr array from superarray uses all 96 wells (including the whole bottom row of housekeeping genes) how can i stop this problem and save a lot of wasted money and time!

regards

bob

Hi,
I also use BIORAD and had exactly the same problem. The reason are the plates. You have to use plates which are high for example: MLP plates. The natural plates with Catalog No 223-9441 are also fine but they are low and I use for them a special piece of material which protects against evaporation (if you want I can check the Catalog No for you). But the best solution is to use caps instead of film - here you are 100% sure that nothing will evaporate.

Good luck.