Assay Assembly for Miniaturized Quantitative PCR in a 384-well Format using the Echo® Liquid Handler

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) has enabled a wide range of real-time applications including comparisons in gene expression, genotyping and SNP analysis. To ensure high data quality, the liquid handling employed in low-volume reactions must be exceptionally precise and accurate. This application note highlights the capabilities of the Echo 555 liquid handler to dispense into 384-well qPCR plates with total reaction volumes as low as 250 nanoliters. Standard deviations of less than 0.25 and CVs of less than 2% are seen routinely across plates using the low volume dispensing of the Echo liquid handler. The ability of the Echo liquid handler to transfer from any well to any well simplifi es assay setup. The results demonstrate the capabilities to enable assay setup with fl exible plate layouts, reduce reagent volumes and increase throughput.