FAQ

WHAT CONDITIONS SHOULD I USE TO AUTOCLAVE NON-STERILE TUBES AND TIPS?

Sterilizing product by autoclaving is a very common lab procedure. To ensure maximum product conformity following sterilization, we recommend using the following conditions when sterilizing Sorenson Products:

121° C for 15 minutes at 15 psi

We further recommend not using a dry cycle. Remove product only after temperature in the autoclave is less than 80° C.

WHERE CAN I BUY SORENSON BRAND CONSUMABLES?

We sell all our products through a World-wide network of distributors. Please contact our customer service department to identify a distributor close to you.

I AM TOLD THAT I SHOULD USE "OPTICAL PLATES" AND "OPTICAL CAPSTRIPS" ON MY REAL TIME PCR MACHINE. ARE YOUR PLATES COMPATIBLE WITH REAL TIME PCR MACHINES?

Yes they are! Our plates do not have frosted wells, however. This feature is only advantageous where your block in the machine is contaminated. The frosted wells reduce signal from the contaminant. Our Flat Cap Strips are as optically clear as polypropylene will allow.

I AM TOLD THAT IF I DO NOT USE CONSUMABLES FROM THE MANUFACTURER OF MY EQUIPMENT (OEM CONSUMABLES) THAT IT WILL VOID MY WARRANTY. IS THIS TRUE?

In almost any case this is NOT TRUE. OEM consumables are often not even made by the equipment manufacturers. Regardless of where they are made, OEM consumables are subject to the same occasional flaws to which all injection-molded components are vulnerable. Rest assured that Sorenson BioScience, Inc. takes fit, form, and function very seriously. In many cases, our products pass more rigorous Q.C. inspections & testing than their OEM counterparts. An example of this is our "pin hole" testing process for PCR plates. The "worst-case" scenario would be that if you experienced problems with your equipment, your equipment manufacturer will need to know if the problem exists when using the OEM consumables as well as when using Sorenson products.

WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER BLACK OR WHITE OPAQUE PCR PLATES FOR REAL-TIME PCR?

Sorenson BioScience offers most of our PCR plates in opaque black and white colors. The reason for this is that black plates might be an excellent choice if you are experiencing "cross-talk" between your sample tubes during real time PCR. This cross talk might be the result of contamination on the instrument block or from other tubes. The white opaque plates have exceptional reflective properties that absorbs less of the laser light and increase the laser energy being absorbed by the sample, intensifying the signal for the detector. These plates are ideal for low-template samples or to reduce the amount of fluorescent tagged reagent in your reactions.

IT SEEMS YOUR 384-WELL PLATES FIT VERY LOOSE ON THE PLATE HOLDER FOR THE ABI 3730 SEQUENCER. WHY IS THIS?

Unfortunately, the plastic the plate is manufactured from shrinks during thermal cycling. In order to keep that shrinking from adversely affecting the fit on the plate holder, we have engineered the plate to start out slighly large so that after denaturation, before sequencing, the plate shrinks to fit perfectly on the plate holder.

WHAT IS THE SHELF-LIFE OF SORENSON PRODUCTS?

We do not have a specific "shelf-life" for our products. We have tested products that were as old as 6-7 years and they performed without compromise. Generally speaking, there is no difference between old and new over a few years' time. We recommend using products in as short of time frame as possible to avoid damage that might occur from storage. Also, we will make improvements in material and design from time to time to enhance performance of the products, so it is important to rotate your supply of Sorenson consumables.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "LOW RETENTION" AND "LOW-BINDING" IN REGARDS TO PIPETTE TIPS AND MICROCENTRIFUGE TUBES?

Low Retention simply indicates that the tip has been altered to improve the recovery of sample volume. This is good, but Low-binding Technology, available from Sorenson, improves the recovery of molecules! Low-binding tips not only facilitate volume recovery, but the surface discourages the binding of DNA and protein molecules with the surface of the tips.

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