PCR amplification is extremely sensitive to contamination which can inaccurately skew your results. This can be frustrating and confusing, especially if you know the primers and template are correct, and have the exact length of the expected amplicons. Contamination in the reagents from the template, genomic DNA, or amplicons from previous reactions can result in excessive or unexpected signals. Good laboratory practices can help control contamination and ensure accurate results, every time.
Laboratory Best Practices
- Minimize potential exposure to genomic DNA sources. Incorporate DNase to degrade the DNA strands and ensure your primers span two exons. Additionally, by incorporating a “no-RT” control into the experiment, you can quickly identify contamination in an RNA preparation.
- Create unidirectional workflow. Perform each step of your preparation in a separate, clean space to guard against carryover contamination. Keep enzymes, water, primers and probes, as well as other accessories in a room where template is not isolated or stored.
- Integrate clean rooms and laminar flow cabinets to protect the sample. Clean rooms and equipment can help protect against contamination from a variety of outside sources.
- Use filter tips for all pipetting practices. Filter tips provide a barrier between the pipette and the liquid being measured, preventing potential carryover from aerosols.
Ductless Equipment for PCR Amplification
The Purair PCR Laminar Flow Cabinet can help maintain a contaminant-free environment by employing HEPA filtration technology while offering flexible access to the instrumentation in the cabinet. Purair PCR fume hoods are stand-alone units, allowing quick installation in nearly any laboratory space, without expensive ductwork or complicated wiring.
Ductless laminar fume hoods are designed for desktop use or can be placed on a base stand or mobile cart for convenience. The internal air handling system has a flow velocity of 90 fpm, which efficiently carries potential contaminants away from PCR mixes, while the HEPA filtration contains up to 99.99% efficiency for 0.3 micron particulates.
Contact us to learn more about the Purair PCR flow and how it can benefit your PCR amplifications today.
What Others Are Saying
“I am very happy with the PCR hood as we are doing testing several times a day and do all of our setup in the hood which protects the worker and keeps contamination under control.” – Becky, Trinity Regional Medical Center
“Irreplaceable for my experiments. The hood is very practical and efficient for the purpose I am using it.” – Janko, Technical University of Denmark
Read more reviews and application notes at SelectScience.
