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Research and development is one of the key areas in Biotools' strategy. Thanks to
our philosophy of constant innovaton, to our commitment to listening to our customers' needs,
and to the application of revolutionary techniques, Biotools has developed and patented
a revolutionary chemical-physical process for the stabilisation of Molecular Biology
reagents and reaction mixes: GELIFICATION
Gelification is a process where components are stabilised at room temperature
by the addition of different stabilising agents. This process does not alter protein structures
and interaction between reagents are avoided until reaction is activated by the user. This technology can be
applied to a variety of enzymatic reactions and proteins, such as antibodies, used in Molecular Biology
research, development and diagnosis.
Gelification represents a step forward in comparison to other methods
for the stabilisation of reaction mixes, such as lyophilisation, heat dissecation and agarose
beads. Gelification is simple, efficient and economical.
Advantages
Applications
Areas
Example
Contact Information
ADVANTAGES
In comparison to traditional liquid reactions, gelification presents
the following advantages:
All reaction reagents can be introduced in a gelified mix, not only buffers, ions, nucleotides
and enzymes, but also primers and probes.
Gelified reaction mixes can be shipped and stored at room temperature or at 4 ºC for long periods
of time.
Less handling steps.
Gelification means easy handling and more reliable and reproducible
assays.
Hot start in every
reaction, at user's will.
Savings in consumables. In gelified reactions, all reagents are ready-to-use, so
less consumables are used.
Speed: minimal time
required for setting up reactions.
Possibility of in-field experiments, where cold chain is not always maintained, reagents have
to be trusted independently of the environmental conditions, and
non-existence of physical separation between working areas demands the
maximum minimisation of handling steps.
One tube-one reaction: all reagents included in the reaction vial.
Automation: liquid
handling steps and consumables in high-throughput tests are greatly
reduced.
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APPLICATIONS
Gelification can be applied to different reagents involved in techniques and reactions used in Molecular Biology
with no differences in yield:
Enzymes: including
restriction enzymes, reverse transcriptases, DNA polymerases - PCR and
Real Time PCR-, sequencing, ligases, etc.).
Antibodies used in
techniques such as Western-blot, ELISA, protein chips, etc.
Primers, probes, etc.
Gelification has been tested as an stabilisation method with excellent
results in the following applications:
 Involving Nucleic Acids:
Nucleic Acid Amplification: PCR (Taq, Taq/Pfu)
and RT-PCR.
Restriction analysis (20 different restriction
enzymes tested so far.
Hybridisation reactions
Ligation reactions (T4 ligase)
Alkalyne phosphatase reactions
Reactions involving fluorescent reagents:
Sequencing and Real Time PCR.
Involving Proteins:
Gelification of Antibodies: Free (Western-blot
applications, ELISA, etc.) or Immobilised on a surface (Biochips).
Gelification of Protein chips.
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AREAS
Clinical sector:
allows performing high numbers of routine assays saving costs and time in
both traditional and real time PCR.
Quality controls in the industry and agriculture: simplifies and assures highest quality
standards in routine tests of water, species identification, GMOs and food
safety.
Biosafety: in-field
detection and characterisation of infectious agents.
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EXAMPLE - DNA AMPLIFICATION: liquid vs. gel
In order to better understand the advantages of gelified reaction mixtures in comparison
to standard reaction mixtures, the set-up of a PCR reaction will be described as an example
Click here to see the example.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
For further information or possible interest in the technology, please feel free to contact us at Biotools.
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