What is meant by PCR & qPCR?
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an enzyme-based process for duplicating DNA in vitro. It comprises three steps: denaturation, annealing, and extension. PCR is considered a standard method in almost all life science laboratories. The process is used in a wide variety of applications, such as DNA cloning, diagnosing genetic disorders or infectious diseases, functional gene analysis, paternity tests, and forensic analysis. Because of this, new and even more sensitive versions are being developed all the time. qPCR (quantitative PCR) remains one of the most important versions. This method provides information about the amount of amplified DNA.
BRAND offers PCR consumables in cleanroom quality for sophisticated PCR and qPCR applications where quality and purity are key. Life monitoring of our validated, ISO class 8 cleanroom and a high degree of automation ensure the purity of PCR products from BRAND. Independent laboratories accredited in accordance with ISO 17 025 inspect our PCR products for the absence of DNA, DNase, RNase and endotoxins/pyrogens.
You can find more information about this in the section BIO-CERT® quality levels.
PCR & qPCR product overview
Quality levels for your applications
Life Science-Consumables from BRAND meet the highest quality standards and offer quality levels dedicated to the application. All products with the quality level CERTIFIED LIFE SCIENCE QUALITY or the BIO-CERT® quality labels are made of high-quality, virgin raw materials and are continuously tested for quality and function. In addition to the general BIO-CERT® CERTIFIED QUALITY label, special quality levels for PCR, cell culture and liquid handling are available. This means you can quickly and easily find the optimal products for your application.
BIO-CERT® PCR QUALITY Features:
Learn more about BRAND’s other quality levels:
PCR tubes for small to medium sample sizes
When establishing a PCR, users must select the right primer and reagents, the optimal annealing temperature and the ideal duration for each step of the PCR. The optimal method is crucial, in order to ensure that the PCR reaction is stable and that no complications occur later in the routine process. A large number of preliminary tests are required to check the influence of different parameters on the individual PCR.
BRAND offers a broad spectrum of PCR single tubes and PCR strips. Our product range allows users to optimize their methods and work economically, even with a small number of samples.
PCR single tubes
PCR single tubes from BRAND, with a volume of 0.2 and 0.5 ml, are an efficient solution for small and medium sample sizes. The extra-thin walled, uniform tubes ensure optimal temperature transfer during a PCR and prevent evaporation due to their perfect seal. This ensures meaningful results even with small sample volumes.
PCR strips
The PCR strips of 8 and 12 offer the flexible solution for your PCR or qPCR with medium sample volumes. You can choose curved lids for extra pressure from the lid of the thermal cycler or flat lids for qPCR. Attached lid strips can be easily opened and closed with one hand, while separate lid and film strips reveal their strengths in automation, as the lids cannot obstruct the robot.
PCR plates for medium to large sample sizes
As new PCR methods become established all the time, the number of different tests completed is also growing. PCR is considered a standard process in many fields. In addition to processes with medium sample throughput, high throughput applications are becoming more and more common in order to save time and costs. Easy and secure handling is essential for managing growing sample quantities. Users are working to optimize processes and reduce the consumption of materials and reagents.
BRAND offers ideal consumable materials for high throughput analysis, thanks to its wide-ranging product portfolio of PCR plates. Extra thin walls, smooth surfaces to avoid interactions and different colors and shapes are ideal for use in a broad spectrum of applications and equipment. Their standardized ANSI/SLAS format allows them to be used in all commonly available cyclers.
Comparison of PCR plates
Standard or low profile?
- Standard profile: these tubes fit into most classic thermal cyclers, real-time PCR detection systems and sequencers.
- Low profile: the reduced air space above the PCR solution reduces evaporation. This ensures reaction conditions remain more constant during thermocycling than in standard profile tubes, particularly for low volumes of solution (≥ 20 µl). At the same time, these tubes also offer advantages in terms of light transmission during fluorescence assays, low volume, and fast PCR applications.
Frameless, half frame, full frame, rigid frame
- Frameless PCR plates fit in nearly all standard thermal cyclers.
- PCR plates with half frame are easy to label or apply with a barcode.
- Full-frame PCR plates are especially rigid and therefore ideally suited for automatic pipetting systems.
- Rigid Frame PCR plates have a strong polycarbonate frame to ensure safe handling in semiautomated and automated pipetting systems and optimal evaporation protection.
Perfectly matching PCR plate and thermal cycler.
At BRAND, you will find the right consumables for all standard thermal cyclers from well-known brands such as Applied Biosystems®, Biorad®, and Peqlab®. In our compatibility table, you can see at a glance which BRAND PCR consumables match your thermal cycler.
Thermal cycler compatibility table
Barcoding
On request, we code your PCR plates with an individual barcode, e.g. with the type code 39 (standard), matrix or interleaved 2 of 5. As a result, laboratory procedures are made more efficient due to automated traceability of samples. To use our service, please fill out the online form at www.brand.de/barcode.
PCR tubes and plates
Sealing options for PCR products
A reliable seal on samples is essential to protect them from contamination and evaporation during the PCR itself and during subsequent measurements. The right seal must match the type of PCR test being carried out and the PCR tube being used. Highly transparent films, for instance, are required to calculate reliable values during a real-time PCR, since the measurement is completed directly in the cycler.
In addition to choosing the right sealing option, ease of operation plays a key role in effectively protecting your samples. Whether you need film or cap strips, BRAND offers the optimal sealing solution for every application. We provide reliable, convenient sealing options even for very small sample quantities.
PCR cap strips
With PCR cap strips you can seal PCR strips and plates with 24, 48, and 96 wells reliably and protect your samples effectively against evaporation and contamination.
Sealing Films
Whether standard PCR, qPCR or digital droplet PCR, the source material is always valuable and the volume always low. To protect samples and maintain their sensitivity at the same time, PCR samples must be perfectly sealed.
PCR sealing options
PCR tips and tricks
The smaller the sample volumes, the more important it becomes to prevent evaporation loss. Thanks to the large selection of different films and strips, you always have a perfectly harmonized system to securely seal your PCR plates and tubes. Find out more in our application note.
Whether you are using single PCR tubes for protocol testing or conducting high-throughput tests of standardized processes with 96-well or 384-well plates: selecting the right consumables saves time and money while also reducing waste. Find out more about our large range of consumables.
White PCR products by BRAND yield significantly better results in qPCR than transparent tubes. In combination with the smooth surfaces, the white color ensures optimal reflexion of the fluorescence signals.
Our PCR racks are suitable for sample preparation, the retention and storage of 0.2 ml single tubes, strips of 8 or 12, and 96 well PCR plates. The matching mini PCR cooler keeps the samples at 4 °C for approx. 3 hours. The insulating gel switches color from violet to pink at 7 °C.
User information
When incubating at high temperatures, we recommend using microtubes with a cap lock, in order to prevent the vessels from bursting open.
Caution: The relative centrifugal force (RCF) is dependent on the radius of the rotor and the speed (RPM) of the centrifuge!
General conversion formula
g = RCF = ((RPM)/1000)2 · r · 1.118
g-number: gravitational acceleration
RCF: relative centrifugal force
(corresponds to g-number)
r: rotor radius
RPM: rotor revolutions per minute (speed)
We advise against autoclaving microtubes. Autoclaves can be a source for contamination for disposable products.
Advantages of PP
- High chemical resistance: microtubes can be used with DMSO and other aggressive chemicals.
- Good temperature resistance: tubes remain stable even at high temperatures. These products are usually autoclavable at 121 °C (2 bar), acc. DIN EN 285.
- Minimal wetting: PCR tubes, microtubes and tips show no residual wetting as the material is biologically inert. This means that biomolecules do not adhere to surfaces.
Microtubes are not recommended for long-term storage. For this, we recommend microtubes with a screw cap or cryotubes.
PCR application notes
The abbreviation "q!PCR" identifies the PCR disposables that can be used for a quantitative real-time PCR. These are white and/or highly-transparent items that are suitable for sensitive detection of fluorescence signals in real-time cyclers.
BRAND offers PCR single tubes and strips with either curved or flat covers for the customer to choose from. PCR plates can be sealed by self-adhesive sealing films or by sealing mats made of TPE or silicone.
No. The fluorescence signal produced in a quantitative real-time PCR can only be detected by flat, highly-transparent covers. The BRAND PCR products that are suitable for quantitative real-time PCR applications are marked with the abbreviation "q!PCR" in the sales literature.
No, it is not autoclavable.
Disposable PCR products are manufactured in state-of-the-art cleanrooom conditions using pure, high-quality propylene without additives, and they are packaged automatically. Independent laboratories test the products regularly to ensure they are free of DNA, RNase and DNase.
Disposable PCR products are made of PP. PP can actually be steam-sterilized in an autoclave at 121°C (2 bar, in accordance with DIN EN 285). However, due to the very narrow wall thicknesses and the fact that autoclaves can be a source of contamination, we do not recommend this form of sterilization for this product group.
In real-time PCR applications, the new line of white PCR products from BRAND provide significantly better results than transparent 8-tube or plates. The different products of this line are uniformly colored with TiO2 (titanium dioxide) in order to achieve a more effective reflexion of the fluorescence signals in combination with the smooth surface.
