Cambio - Excellence in Molecular Biology

Cell Culture Contamination Control

Cell Culture Contamination Control: Detection

Mycoplasma Detection

As an efficient contamination control measure we recommend frequent routine testing of cell culture materials with Venor®Gem Mycoplasma Detection Kits. These PCR- and qPCR-based mycoplasma assays allow fast (within a few hours), simple, effective and sensitive detection of mycoplasma-contaminated cell cultures in any standard molecular biology laboratory.

Regular mycoplasma testing and control procedures can significantly help in avoiding the costly consequences of contamination ensuring safe biopharmaceuticals and reliable scientific results.  Many scientific journals currently do not accept submissions of cell-based studies without evidence that mycoplasma testing has been performed.

To meet different customer needs Minerva Biolabs has developed a range of Venor®GeM mycoplasma detection assays using conventional PCR or qPCR methods which enable rapid and reliable identification of mycoplasma in cell cultures, culture supernatants and tissue culture media.

Conventional PCR

  • Venor®GeM Classic allows fast, reliable and time-saving routine monitoring of mycoplasma contamination in cell culture supernatants, media and biopharmaceuticals in research and industry by conventional PCR.

  • Venor®GeM OneStep is a kit for direct detection. It requires minimal pipetting, the kit includes all reagents required for PCR in a ready-to-use lyophilized reaction mix. Only samples or controls need to be added prior to PCR.

  • Venor®GeM Advance is designed for direct detection. Designed to reduce the total assay time and the pipetting steps, the kit contains PCR strips of tubes, each pre-dispensed with all reagents necessary for each PCR reaction, including the polymerase. For additional convenience, the gel loading buffer and dye are already included in the reaction buffer. After PCR, the products can be loaded directly on an agarose gel.

Real-time PCR (qPCR)

Our qPCR kits are TaqMan®-based qPCR Assays with labelled probes:  FAM® channel (mycoplasma) and HEX® channel (internal control to check for PCR inhibition from contaminants in sample).  So not only does the qPCR approach remove a lot of hassle, but the internal controls also give you reassurance that your negatives are not false.

  • Venor®GeM qEP utilises quantitative, real-time PCR (qPCR) for fast (approx. 3 h) and reliable screening of cell culture supernatants for mycoplasma contamination. The kit can be used in combination with any type of real-time PCR cycler able to detect the fluorescence dyes FAM® and HEX®. For clinical diagnostics in which human samples are tested we recommend using this kit as it conforms to EP 2.6.7, USP <71> and JP G3. It is suitable for both research and industry where certified compliance is needed or desirable. 

  • Venor®GeM qOneStep is a kit based on a real-time PCR (qPCR) assay for rapid, robust and sensitive detection of mycoplasma contamination. The detection procedure can be performed within 3 hours. Primers, nucleotides, probes, polymerase and an internal amplification control are provided as a ready-to-use, lyophilized reaction mix. This kit is a very straightforward and is highly suitable for academic labs and industrial applications where certified compliance of kits is not required.


SwabUp™ Lab Monitoring Plus

SwabUp™ Lab Monitoring Plus kit with a contamination-free PCR system is for tracing DNA contamination hot-spots in molecular biology labs in order to efficiently eliminate them and prevent future occurrence.

Minerva Biolabs

Description

SwabUp™ Lab Monitoring Plus kit

SwabUp™ Lab Monitoring Plus kit with a contamination-free PCR system is for tracing DNA contamination hot-spots in molecular biology labs in order to efficiently eliminate them and prevent future occurrence.

Small amounts of amplicon- or target DNA contaminations could lead to PCR artifacts and false positive results. Originating from aerosolized fragments in centrifuges, pipettes and other lab equipment or from small splatters during working with open reaction tubes, contaminant DNA is very hard to remove and can lead to cross contaminations between samples and widespread problems throughout the testing procedure and interpretation of results. SwabUp™ Lab Monitoring Plus kit contains a sample collection system, a DNA extraction system, which was optimized for the efficient detection of the smallest amounts of contaminant DNA, and a contamination-free PCR System.
Recommended Use / Scope

Click here for flyer



This kit is recommended for the regular monitoring of the lab work area and detection of target or amplicon DNA contaminations, but especially for severe and persistent cases of DNA contamination, where every single reagent used for PCR could potentially be contaminated making it extremely difficult to trace the contamination source.

SwabUp™ Lab Monitoring Plus kit introduces the contamination-free SwabUp™ DNAmp Mix, a universal PCR master mix, which contains all PCR core components. Only reaction-specific primers and template DNA are added by the user.

SwabUp™ Lab Monitoring kit is for research use only. It is not recommended for clinical and diagnostic applications or for the detection of RNA contaminations.

Kit Components
Separately packed swabs, Collection Buffer tubes, spin column-based DNA extraction system, SwabUp™ DNAmp Mix, Rehydration Buffer, MgCl2.

Package Sizes
Cat. No. 182-0010 10 applications (25 PCR reactions)
Cat. No. 182-0050 50 applications (125 PCR reactions)

Required Consumables
Ethanol (> 96 % abs.), 1.5 ml reaction tubes, PCR tubes

Required Lab Devices
Microcentrifuge, heat block, pipetting equipment, PCR thermocycler
Shelf Life and Storage

DNA extraction system should be stored at room temperature, Collection Buffer tubes must be stored at 2 – 8 °C. Swabs can be stored at 2 – 30 °C. SwabUp™ DNAmp Mix should be stored at 2 – 8 °C, and after rehydration at < -18 °C.

If you cannot find the answer to your problem then please contact us or telephone +44 (0)1954 210 200

Protocols

Protocol

If you cannot find the answer to your problem then please contact us or telephone +44 (0)1954 210 200

Notes

Click here for flyer

 

If you cannot find the answer to your problem then please contact us or telephone +44 (0)1954 210 200

Related products

If you cannot find the answer to your problem then please contact us or telephone +44 (0)1954 210 200