Bio-Rad PDQuest 2-D Analysis Software - Manual (Page 37)

5.2 Plastic and Glass Backed Gel Preparation
Storage of gels can be in any type of container that keeps the gel protected and hydrated until
they are needed for spot cutting. Use the gel manufacturer's recommended storage conditions.
Note: only the 1.0 mm cutting tip is recommended for cutting backed gels.
Cutting tip height is very important for effective cutting off backed gels. The tip height must be
positioned so that the tip moves across the plastic or glass backing when it is moving laterally
during cutting. If the tip is set too low, it will bore into the plastic or glass and the tip will not move
across the backing. The result is reduced cut and pick-up efficiency. See section 2.12 for adjusting
the cutting tip height.
Place the Cutting Mat on the cutting platform of the Spot Cutter. Dry the surface of the Cutting
Mat. Blot dry the backside of the plastic or glass backed gel. Avoiding excess water between the
backed gel and the cutting mat prevents the gel from moving during the cutting process.
• Position the Gel Holding Bars on the edges of the gel
• Add a light layer of water to the surface of the gel, but do not fill the platform or create a
large "pool" of water on the gel.
5.3 Using PDQuest Basic Excision Tool Software
The PDQuest software contains the Basic Excision Tool module. The Basic Excision Tool man-
ages all the operations of the spot cutter including, image acquisition, calibration, manual spot
selection, cutter operation and data tracking. (A detailed description of the fully integrated features
with PDQuest image analysis software is discussed in the PDQuest user's manual.)
Open Basic Excision Tool:
• Double click on the PDQuest icon in the desktop.
• Select the menu item "Identification", then the drop down menu item "Basic Excision
Tool".
Fig. 34. Basic Excision Tool menu selection.
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