Molecular Devices
- QPix 400 Series Microbial Colony Pickers
Automated microbial colony picking systems that pre-screen markers prior to picking
The QPix™ 400 series of microbial colony pickers offers the unique option to simultaneously detect
colonies and quantify fluorescent markers in a pre-screening step before picking. QPix systems are
used worldwide in over 600 installations in research institutes, sequencing facilities, biotech and
pharmaceutical companies. QPix robotics developed a reputation for reliability and accuracy,
when used in sequencing centers during the Human Genome project.
More than just colony pickers, these systems enable scientists to:
⊙ Automate workflows from sampling and spreading to picking
⊙ Pick the right colonies every time
⊙ Efficiently manage large, diverse populations for: protein expression,
biofuel research, enzyme evolution, phage display, DNA sequencing, library generation and management
Shorten Timelines, eliminate unnecessary work and expense downstream
⊙ Use unique information to identify the best colonies
⊙ Pre-screen colonies using white light and fluorescent imaging
⊙ Accurately pick up to 30,000 selected colonies per day from trays or dishes
Support more applications
⊙ Objective, quantitative pre-screening
⊙ Track fluorescent proteins
- Compatible with broad range of fluorescent cloning vectors
- Fuse fluorescent proteins with others to study protein folding or secretion, enzyme evolution or protein localization
- Use as transformation markers or for mutation screens
Fast Track Development of Constructs or Target Proteins
⊙ Automate and track entire workflow
⊙ From spreading* transformed cells to colony picking
⊙ Pre-screen to identify colonies with optimal expression levels
⊙ Accurately pick colonies of interest
⊙ Maintain subsequent clonal integrity
Further Information
⊙ Validation of Next Generation Microbial Colony Pickers Using Fluorescence in a Complete Workflow Solution: Poster Download.
Unmatched Performance
⊙ Pick the right colony every time
- Use unique information to identify the best colonies
- Pre-screen colonies using white light and fluorescent imaging
⊙ Picking efficiency >98%
- Organism-specific pins maximize material transfer
- Automatic calculation of agar height increases accuracy
⊙ Track entire sample history
- Enhance visibility of history and location – tag important samples
- Record and track sample histories from sample spreading* to picking, replication and re-arraying
Systems tailored to workload and application requirements
⊙ QPix 460 System
With a fully automated workflow, provides the greatest flexibility in application and experimental design
- Automatically sample and spread from 1 x 96 well source plate into bioassay every 30 min.
- Up to 140 destination plates in 2 stacker lanes
- Sets up screening assays on filters or agar
- Cherry-picks selected clones after off-line analysis
- Spreading available only on QPix 460
⊙ QPix 450 System
No automated spreading enables a greater number of destination plates
- Up to 210 destination plates in 3 stacker lanes
- Sets up screening assays on filters or agar
- Cherry-picks selected clones after off-line analysis
⊙ QPix 420 System
Full functionality in a bench-top format
- Pick colonies into maximum 12 destination plates - ability to change plates for longer picking runs
- Flexibility of plate positioning on the bed offers the ultimate performance in cherry picking selected clones
