PCR is not typically thought of as a large-scale DNA production method. However, PCR is an industry standard process which is well documented and understood. Key advantages include the following:
- PCR is a cell-free method of DNA replication, and requires no cleanup of unwanted cellular debris or vector DNA.
- PCR has been shown to efficiently amplify targets up to 35kb in length.
- PCR is a specific process that targets only the desired DNA to be copied.
- PCR can be end-labeled with a variety of modifications.
- PCR is a high fidelity process, with error rates between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 100,000. It is far superior to synthesis for long DNA sequences. The use of other novel thermostable enzymes can improve PCR’s fidelity.
- March 28, 2005 marked the expiration of the foundational PCR patents in the U.S.A. and equivalent ex-U.S.A. foundational PCR patents expired on March 28, 2006. The expiration of these key patents allows PCR to be used for many applications without licensing fees.
The Triathlon™ scales your typical PCR reaction from the bench to an industrial production system.
The Triathlon™ is a continuous method rather than a batch process, resulting in an increase in the volume processed (up to 5x that of a 96-well plate), reduced labor, and decreased disposable costs. In addition, there are reduced opportunities for contamination and error because of its closed nature.
The design of the system allows large amounts of fluid to rapidly change temperature. Compared to a typical block thermal cycler, this results in a 40 - 90 second decrease per cycle (an overall savings of up to 45 minutes per reaction), at a flow rate of up to 1 mL per minute. The end result is a system that can process up to 1.25 liters of PCR product in a 24-hour period. If benchmarked alongside a typically block thermal cycler (processing 96 100 ul reactions), the Triathlon™ would perform the PCR of 1 liter 6.5x faster. Eventually, the scale of the system is expected to reach six liters per 24-hour period.
Because of the vast volumes of reaction being processed, the continuous nature of the system, and the reduced contamination and error, the costs associated with performing PCR drastically decrease. This allows PCR to economically transition from research to production.