Bio-Rad QX200™ AutoDG™ Droplet Digital™ PCR System - Manual (Page 11)

Instruction Manual | 3 2 | Automated Droplet Generator
1.2 System Components
The system’s guided quick load allows users to get started faster. The large, color touch screen provides simple
setup and plate tracking. Select the desired number of columns across a 96-well plate, load Droplet Generation
Oil and only the consumables you need as prompted by the system, and start the run. A countdown timer
will display the time remaining so users can maximize their time in the lab. When the plate is ready, users are
notified and a time-elapsed counter begins. Every run is stored in an exportable log file for future reference.
Following reaction preparation using ddPCR supermix, 22 µl of each of up to 96 prepared samples (or blanks) in
a 96-well plate are loaded into the Automated Droplet Generator. A bottle of the Automated Droplet Generation
Oil is loaded into the instrument, along with DG32
™ Cartridges and Pipet Tips for the AutoDG Instrument. There,
the samples and oil are combined within the microchannels of the cartridge to create an emulsion of ~20,000
monodisperse, nanoliter-sized droplets for each of the samples. Following automated droplet generation, the
96-well PCR plate of droplets is sealed, and PCR is performed to end point in a thermal cycler.
When cycling is complete, the plate is loaded into the QX200 Droplet Reader. The droplet reader sips each
sample, singulates the droplets, and streams them in single file past a two-color detector. The detector reads
each droplet and determines which contain a target (+) and which do not (–). If quantification of droplets is not
required, PCR products can be extracted from droplets following thermal cycling for downstream applications,
such as sequencing or cloning.
The Automated Droplet Generator includes the components listed in Table 1. Additional requirements for the
Droplet Digital PCR workflow (automated droplet generation, sealing, cycling, and reading) are listed in Table 2.
Table 1. Automated Droplet Generator components. Items shipped with the Automated Droplet Generator
(catalog #186-4101).
Component
Description Catalog #
Automated Droplet Generator Instrument used for Automatic Droplet Generation 186-4101
Power cord Connects Automated Droplet Generator to power source Call technical support
Cooling block accessory Prevents evaporation during droplet generation Call technical support
Oil waste reservoir Collects oil waste from priming and flushing Call technical support