Last week, a user reported running some reaction plates on the Real Time PCR machine and having a problem with her strip caps popping off during the reaction. She noticed that the data from that column of reactions was messed up, so she's pretty sure it happened early in the reaction, probably during the initial 95 degree denaturation step. For her next reaction, she made sure all the caps were on tight, yet it happened again, with the caps in the very same column (#5).
It may have been a bad batch of caps, though it still would be weird that the problem happened twice in the same column. Please let me know if you've had a similar experience or if you have insight into this problem.
I spoke with technical support and our engineering rep at ABI, and they had the following advice: first they said to make sure we use the flat optical caps, not the domed (we already do). Next, they suggested using film instead of caps; we have some film and an application kit if anyone would like to use it. Lastly, the engineering technician said to go ahead and try running an empty plate using the RNAse P run to see if it happens again. He couldn't think of any explanation that involved a problem with the machine, but he's willing to come take a look at the machine on Monday.
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