Plug-in Cartridges Execute a Variety of High-Value Assays

Beckman Coulter® has introduced four detection cartridges for the PARADIGM Detection Platform, its modular plate reader, adding new capabilities for widely used fluorescence and luminescence applications.

The AlphaScreenTM, GeneBLAzer®, and MultiTox-Fluor cartridges provide assay specific settings and protocols to reduce setup time and speed research. These products, and a new filter-based Fluorescence Intensity cartridge, join a line of 14 previously released cartridges that can be exchanged in the PARADIGM Detection Platform in less than five minutes and that enable a range of cell and molecular biology assays.

The AlphaScreen cartridge utilises a 680nm laser diode to provide sensitive detection of protein-protein interaction, receptor-ligand binding, cAMP quantitation and kinase assays. Designed and optimised specifically for AlphaScreen and AlphaLISA products, this new detection cartridge employs a patent-pending design that reduces crosstalk while improving performance.

The GeneBLAzer detection cartridge, designed for use with Invitrogen Corporation’s GeneBLAzer assay technology, provides FRET analysis for GPCR, ion channel, nuclear and cytokine receptor, signal transduction and kinase assays.

The MultiTox-Fluor cartridge, designed for use with MultiTox-Fluor assays (Promega Corp), provides a dual-label fluorescence-intensity screen for multiplexed viability/cytotoxicity assays. This Dual Label Detection Cartridge enables efficient multiplexing of assays, using two high-powered LEDs to provide sensitive and simultaneous reads of two distinct labels. The dual-excitation, dual-emission functionality − unique to the PARADIGM − results in faster reading times.

The new Fluorescence Intensity Detection Cartridges feature a standard dual-emission design that is optimised for FRET measurements of the cellular fluorescence proteins CFP-YFP. The fluorescence intensity cartridge utilises an energy intensity optimisation technique that allows the user to read up to seven logs of sample concentration in a single pass without any manual intervention and provides uncompromised performance for both top and bottom reads. The unique optical design of the PARADIGM allows for direct excitation of adherent cell assays improving signal-to-noise ratios for sensitive cell assays.