LightScanner® 32 System

Benefits from a Complete Product Solution

Temperature Control

Ambient air is pulled into the instrument by the intake fan, causing positive pressure to force the air through the heating duct and into the carousel chamber, where it is dispersed in the chamber by the secondary chamber fan. Cooling is done in a similar manner by forcing unheated ambient air into the chamber to cool the samples. This method allows the fastest temperature transitions in the world, allowing PCR to be routinely completed in 15-20 minutes.

Real-Time Fluorimeter

A three-channel fluorimeter block is used for the real-time detection of the dyes/probes in each amplification reaction. The fluorimeter reads and stores data for each sample simultaneously in all three channels with every fluorescence acquisition. Excitation of each sample is from a light emitting diode (LED) that is filter tuned and passed through a dichroic mirror at 470 nm. The three detection channels are filter tuned and correspond to 530 nm, 640 nm, and 710 nm, respectively.

For fluorescence excitation, the instrument is equipped with an LED light source. This LED requires no maintenance and has an extremely long life span. The fluorimeter provides three channels, which detect emitted light with varying wavelengths. Because of the high quality optics, the measurement is both extremely fast and sensitive. In a normal amplification run, measurement of a single sample takes about 20 milliseconds.

High Resolution Melting (HRM)

Hi-Res Melting (HRM) analysis with the dye LCGreen Plus identifies heterozygous single-base changes in PCR products with a sensitivity and specificity superior to non-homogeneous techniques. Variants are detected independent of their position within the fragment. Sensitivity is highest in fragments 400 bp or fewer. In addition to identifying anonymous heterozygous variants, Hi-Res Melting can often identify the specific mutation, in such cases scanning and genotyping can be combined into one simple melting analysis.

In the LS32, an HRM is performed after PCR. A temperature controlled melter optically positions itself under the sample to be melted then ascends (via a protective guide) onto the capillary and thermally denatures (melts) the PCR product while simultaneously collecting high-density fluorescence data. When the target denaturation temperature has been reached, the melter lowers itself off the sample while being cooled by a high-velocity fan. The process repeats until all samples have been melted. The ingot then lowers, which initiates the cooling process, and moves to the next capillary. The LS32 is unsurpassed in its temperature control and data acquisition rates. With superb sensitivity and specificity, this instrument is designed to meet the needs of any scanning or genotyping project.