Biometra TRIO Function and setup
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The Biometra TRIO software offers several pre-installed program templates for different
applications. The program templates provide a general protocol structure and can be
easily adapted for the current experiment.
The protocol wizard offers the comfort to create specific PCR programs by just a few in-
puts. The protocol wizard is based on program templates for specific polymerases. For
up to eight different polymerases program templates can be saved in the Biometra TRIO
software and just the annealing temperature, cycle number and product length has to be
filled in to create a specific PCR program. Optionally two-step or three-step PCR pro-
grams can be created by the software. Furthermore the protocol wizard includes a pri-
mer annealing temperature calculator and the calculated T
a
value can be used for proto-
col creation.
3.3.6 Temperature Optimisation Step (TOS)
Finding the best primer annealing temperature is crucial for the specificity and efficiency
of PCR reactions. Often optimization of experiments is conducted only limited leading to
unspecific byproducts or reduced PCR sensitivity. By using the Biometra TRIO Tempera-
ture Optimisation Step (TOS) function new primer pairs with unknown annealing tem-
peratures can be tested quickly and optimized in very short time.
The Temperature Optimisation Step (TOS) function makes use of the three sample
blocks and provides three different temperatures for a selected program step. Just set
the temperature for sample block 2 and define the temperature difference (temperature
increment) for block 1 and 3. Since the Biometra TRIO samples blocks work independent
of each other the maximum programmable temperature difference between the sample
blocks is at ±47.5 °C.
3.3.7 GLP compliance
The software can manage up to 90 user accounts. By default three different user-levels
are available: Administrator, user with generic rights and user with limited rights. How-
ever, in a comfortable menu the administrator can config. the settings for each user in-
dividually by activating or inactivating single rights. By the user administration tool in
combination with the password protection of user accounts access to the instrument can
be limited to authorized persons and unwanted modifications to the system settings and
PCR protocols prevented.
With each system start the Biometra TRIO performs an initial self-test and additionally
the software offers an extended self-test that can be initiated by the user. The results of
the extended self-test becomes are summarized in a protocol and are stored by the in-
strument. Additionally to the self-test functions the instruments creates and stores run-
logfiles for each single run. For long-term storage run-logfiles and extended self-test
protocols can be exported as proprietary file format.
3.3.8 Open system philosophy
The Biometra TRIO is an open system regarding consumables and reagents. Depending
upon the sample block the system can be used with single tubes, strips or plates. PCR
plates can be standard profile or low profile and they can be skirted, semi-skirted or
non-skirted. The Biometra TRIO can handle all kind of plates and the plastic ware be
sealed with domed caps, flat caps, sealing foil or other technologies. Regardless of the
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