The QPix® Microbial Colony Picker leverages best-in-class colony picking technology to alleviate bottlenecks and quickly, accurately, and efficiently screen through massive genetic libraries. The easy-to-use, intuitive software guides users through setting up colony picking runs where precision robotics pick the right colonies every time.. In addition to microbial screening, the system automates several sample preparation and plate handling processes such as transfer of bacterial liquid culture and plating on agar.
Data is automatically recorded into the machine’s database, providing users with a complete audit trail and sample tracking, ensuring that no data is ever lost. Our modular, scalable series of colony pickers allows groups of all sizes to increase the accuracy and throughput of their workflow, while still allowing for future throughput growth.
Colony picking is an essential step in biological research as scientists often isolate microbial clones in order to mass produce DNA or proteins to be used in a variety of applications downstream. Traditionally, colony picking is performed manually using sterile pipette tips or inoculation loops, which are usually slow, labor-intensive, and time-consuming. Not only will automated colony pickers make the entire process quicker, but the results are more consistent and reliable.
IMAGING |
PICKING CAPACITY |
COLONY SELECTION CRITERIA |
PICKING AND REGIONAL PICKING |
BARCODE TRACKING |
RE-ARRAYING AND REPLICATION |
GRIDDING |
PLATING AND STREAKING |
AGAR TO AGAR |
ROBOTICS INTEGRATION |
SHAKING INCUBATOR |
LIQUID HANDLER |
PCR |
SEALER/PEELER |
ELISA |
DESTINATION PLATE CAPACITY |
STACKERS |
SOURCE PLATE CAPACITY |
WALKAWAY TIME |
The effectiveness of an antibiotic-producing bacterial strain on a target bacterial strain can be measured by the size of the clearing zone it produces on a lawn of bacteria. QPix Software allows you to rapidly identify, rank, and pick microbial colonies producing clearing zones. Intelligent image analysis enables measurement of clearing zones within a lawn and ranking based on colony size, halo diameter, and compactness.
One of the most prominent alternative energy resources is biodiesel, an energy-rich portable fuel mainly composed of triacylglycerols. Biodiesel production from lipid producing microbial systems involves screening thousands of clones through a multitude of tests such as bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assays, optical density measurements, and gas chromatography assays. QPix colony pickers automate the task of colony picking, a laborious and error-prone process, effectively shortening timelines to find suitable candidates.
Screening of bacterial transformants that contain recombinant plasmids with cloned gene inserts is an essential step in molecular cloning. A colorimetric reporter method called “blue-white screening” allows convenient identification of recombinant and non-recombinant colonies based on color. QPix colony pickers offer an automated solution especially designed for accurate blue-white colorimetric screening using white light imaging for effective monitoring of transformation efficiency. Other colorimetric approaches such as “red-white screening” can also be implemented on the systems.
Sequencing is the reading of the precise order of adenine (A) guanine (G) cytosine (C) and thymine (T) nucleotides within a molecule of DNA. Shotgun sequencing is a method whereby DNA is fragmented into one kilobase pieces, are then sub-cloned into circular plasmids, and transformed into bacteria. Automated colony picking is essential for increased throughput and plasmid isolation for sequencing. QPix colony pickers are renown for reliability and accuracy, and were used by many sequencing centers during the Human Genome Project. Many areas of research, such as vaccine development, continue to utilize traditional sequencing techniques.
The drug discovery landscape is shifting, with more scientists centering cell line development, disease models, and high-throughput screening methods around physiologically-relevant 3D cell models. The reason for this is clear: Using cellular model systems in research that closely mimic patient disease states or human organs can bring life-saving therapeutics to market – faster.
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) originate from one unique parent cell, thus binding only to a single epitope. Monoclonal antibody discovery typically refers to the screening and identification of specific antibodies that target a specific epitope for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, like the coronavirus for COVID-19.
Phage Display is a technique to enable the study of protein, peptide or DNA interaction with a target protein. This molecular tool enables the discovery of high-affinity binders by using bacteriophages to present a target protein on the exterior of the viral coat, while containing the DNA encoding the target protein inside the viral coat. The resultant displaying phages can be screened for binding against a library of peptides or proteins in a high throughput fashion. QPix colony pickers can be used to automate inoculation, plating, spreading and picking in a Phage Display workflow.
Protein evolution describes the changes over time in protein shape, function, and composition. Directed evolution of proteins has proven to be an effective strategy for altering or ameliorating the activity of macromolecules for industrial, research, and therapeutic applications. With multiple fluorescent filters, the system is compatible with a wide range of fluorescent cloning vectors. This enables QPix colony pickers to reveal unique information about individual colonies when studying protein folding, enzyme evolution, and protein localization. This includes searching for transformation markers and screening for mutations.
Synthetic biology is a broad term that refers to the manipulation of genetic pathways to harness the power of existing biological systems in novel ways (often to manufacture molecules or proteins). Synthetic biology applies principles that are derived from engineering, specifically design-build-test-learn cycles, to biological systems. By leveraging high-throughput workflows, synthetic biologists can accelerate this process.
Blog
The Role of CRISPR in Scientific Breakthroughs in Microbiome Engineering Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) was first discovered in the genome of marine…
Brochure
Although smaller than other colony pickers on the market, don’t let its size fool you – it doesn’t compromise on results. The QPix XE streamlines your colony picking process, allowing y…
Data Sheet
The product has been Irradiated and dosimetrically released in accordance with ISO 11137 – Sterilization of Health Care Products
Brochure
Our solutions for antibody discovery and cell line development provide dedicated, scalable, and easy-to-use products for establishing clonal populations. The systems feature a selection…
Publications
In April 2021, we launched our Organoid Innovation Centre (OIC), an initiative designed to help scientists leverage the potential of 3D biology throughout the drug discovery process.…
Blog
Advancements in genetic engineering and synthetic biology have allowed numerous breakthroughs in recent decades. The importance of cell line development needs an honorable mention.…
eBook
Colony picking represents a powerful tool within the workflow of mammalian cell line development and the study of microbiology.
Blog
One of the biggest global concerns is our excessive use of resources and its undeniable impact on the environment. In particular, manufacturing processes require enormous amounts of…
Blog
Discover why mAbs are key in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 and how the pandemic has shaped their discovery and development pipeline. Over the past three years, the development of…
Blog
Global research efforts are focused on understanding the SARS-CoV-2 virus in order to develop potential therapies for COVID-19. Join us as we explore a scientific timeline of key…
Brochure
Advance your microbial and mammalian clone screening with proven, automated technologies
Flyer
Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science with the potential to impact academic and industrial applications including the creation of novel therapeutics and vaccines, plant s…
Flyer
Scale is becoming an increasingly important factor in biology. The ability to scale up a process increases the chances that one is able to more readily and efficiently identify bette…
Blog
Dwayne Carter gives us a taste of 3D bioprinting, clone screening, and Caribbean cuisine Dwayne Carter is a cell biologist and educator who joined Molecular Devices in November 2020…
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For over 40 years, Molecular Devices has been at the forefront of technological advances which have contributed to significant scientific breakthroughs. To kick off the new year, we…
Brochure
QPix™ systems earned a well-deserved reputation for performance and reliability during the race to sequence the human genome with the Human Genome Project, and continues to support i…
eBook
Immunology is now, more than anytime in recent history, one of the top fields of research. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) continue to enjoy intense interest as potential therapeutics.…
Customer Breakthrough
Inscripta’s vision is to democratize scalable genome editing to the world by offering a holistic platform consisting of software, instrument, reagents, & consumables to enable fo…
Flyer
A one-pager style document which covers the benefits of the QPix head range, the different pin features and the benefit of the washing bath system.
Flyer
Phage display was first described in 1985, when George P. Smith demonstrated a way to insert an exogenous gene for a protein of interest into a bacteriophage coat protein gene. This…
Publications
The QPix™ Chroma Filter is a thin film translucent optical filter that provides a robust method to confidently select and pick rare expressing bacterial colonies based on color inten…
Brochure
The Edinburgh Genome Foundry (EGF) is dedicated to automated design and assembly of large DNA constructs using a fully automated robotic platform. They needed an automated colony picker…
Infographic
See how automated colony pickers can speed up the process for microbiome studies.
Infographic
See how automated colony pickers can speed up the process for synthetic biology research.
Customer Breakthrough
At the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Center for Cancer Systems Biology (CCSB) utilizes experimental and computational strategies to uncover complex biological interactions. Using…
Customer Breakthrough
Zymergen is a technology company using high throughput biology to drive the next industrial revolution. Their method of designing, building, and testing microbes relies on advanced m…
Brochure
Molecular Devices offer products and unrivaled solutions that utilize imaging & intelligent image analysis to support basic research, pharmaceutical & biotherapeutic developm…
Scientific Poster
Review poster to learn about QPIX 400 Series, which allows automation of entire workflow from colony selection to picking, leading to reduced timelines & increasing overall produ…
Scientific Poster
Download PDF to get information about QPix 400 series of microbial colony pickers with selective screening for rare clones.
Scientific Poster
Explore how by picking colonies with high Nile Red fluorescence intensity, it is possible to find desired high lipid colonies in an initial primary screen.
Data Sheet
Explore how the QPix automated microbial colony pickers are designed to meet research needs across a diverse range of microbial workflows.
Application Note
Screening bacterial transformants that harbor a plasmid ligated with the gene of interest has become convenient by the use of vectors with fluorescent reporter genes. Fluorescence…
Application Note
Through sophisticated algorithms, easy-touse software with customizable selection criteria, and organism-specific algorithms and accessories, the QPix 400 series of colony pickers is a…
Application Note
One of the major bottlenecks for biofuel production is robust identification of the high-value hit faster that is enabled by objective, functional readout of the end product in the…
Application Note
Get the details about customizable plating patterns on QPix 460 automated microbial colony picker. To know more explore this app note.
Application Note
Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute (DoE JGI) have developed synthetic metagenomic processes supported by high throughput screening technologies, to…
Application Note
Bacterial screening is a popular method used for detecting recombinant bacteria in vector-based molecular cloning. It can also be used to measure specific protein expression and…
Customer Breakthrough
The Edinburgh Genome Foundry (EGF) manufactures genetic material for their customers using a fully automated robotic platform, creating and modifying strands of DNA up to one mega ba…
Molecular Cloning Workcell
Manual vs Automated Colony Picking
Tips to automating molecular cloning and strain engineering applications
QPix Demo video
See the QPix in action at the Edinburgh Genome Foundry
Immunology and Vaccine Development Workflow
SynBioBeta - QPix Panel Discussion 2020
Plaque Picking
Synthetic Metagenomics: Converting Digital Information Back to Biology
QPix 400
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Certain bacterial species produce antimicrobial compounds only in the presence of a competing species. However, little is known on the frequency of interaction-mediated induction of antibiotic compound production in natural communities of soil bacteria. Here we developed a high-throughput method to screen for the production of antimicrobial activity by monocultures and pair-wise combinations of 146 phylogenetically different bacteria isolated from similar soil habitats. Growth responses of two human pathogenic model organisms, Escherichia coli WA321 and Staphylococcus aureus 533R4, were used to monitor antimicrobial activity. From all isolates, 33% showed antimicrobial activity only in monoculture and 42% showed activity only when tested in interactions. More bacterial isolates were active against S. aureus than against E. coli. The frequency of interaction-mediated induction of antimicrobial activity was 6% (154 interactions out of 2798) indicating that only a limited set of species combinations showed such activity. The screening revealed also interaction-mediated suppression of antimicrobial activity for 22% of all combinations tested. Whereas all patterns of antimicrobial activity (non-induced production, induced production and suppression) were seen for various bacterial classes, interaction-mediated induction of antimicrobial activity was more frequent for combinations of Flavobacteria and alpha- Proteobacteria. The results of our study give a first indication on the frequency of interference competitive interactions in natural soil bacterial communities which may forms a basis for selection of bacterial groups that are promising for the discovery of novel, cryptic antibiotics.
Thermotoga neapolitana 1,4-β-D-glucan glucohydrolase A preferentially hydrolyzes cello-oligomers, such as cellotetraose, releasing single glucose moieties from the reducing end of the cello-oligosaccharide chain. Using directed evolution techniques of error-prone PCR and mutant library screening, a variant glucan glucohydrolase has been isolated that hydrolyzes the disaccharide, cellobiose, at a 31% greater rate than its wild type (WT) predecessor. The mutant library, expressed in Escherichia coli, was screened at 85 °C for increased hydrolysis of cellobiose, a native substrate rather than a chromogenic analog, using a continuous, thermostable coupled enzyme assay. The Vmax for the mutant was 108 ± 3 units mg-1, whereas that of the WT was 75 ± 2 units mg-1. The Km for both proteins was nearly the same. The kcat for the new enzyme increased by 31% and its catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) for cellobiose also rose by 31% as compared with the parent. The nucleotide sequence of two positive clones and two null clones identified 11 single base shifts. The nucleotide transition in the most active clone caused an isoleucine to threonine amino acid substitution at position 170. Structural models for I170T and WT proteins were derived by sequence homology with Protein Data Bank code 1BGA from Paenibacillus polymyxa. Analysis of the WT and I170T model structures indicated that the substitution in the mutant enzyme repositioned the conserved catalytic residue Asn-163 and reconfigured entry to the active site.
A genome‐wide transcription profiling of Arabidopsis upon genotoxic stress has been performed using a high‐density colony array (HDCA). The array was based on a library of 27 000 cDNA clones derived from Arabidopsis cells challenged with bleomycin plus mitomycin C. The array covers more than 10 000 individual genes (corresponding to at least 40% of Arabidopsis genes). After hybridisation of the HDCA with labelled cDNA probes obtained from genotoxin‐treated (bleomycin plus mitomycin C, 6 h) and untreated seedlings, 39 genes revealed an increased and 24 genes a decreased expression among the 3200 highly expressed clones (representing approximately 1200 individual genes because of redundancy of the cDNA library). Of the 4900 clones with a low transcriptional level, the expression of 500 clones was found to be altered and 57 genes with increased and 22 genes with decreased expression were identified by sequence analysis of 135 identified clones. The HDCA results were validated by real‐time PCR analysis. For about 80% of genes (34 out of 42), alteration in expression was confirmed, indicating the reliability of the HDCA for transcription profiling. DNA damage and stress‐responsive genes encoding, for instance transcription factors (myb protein and WRKY1), the ribonucleotide reductase small subunit (RNR2), thymidine kinase (TK), an AAA‐type ATPase, the small subunit of a DNA polymerase and a calmodulin‐like protein were found to be strongly upregulated. Also, several genes involved in cell cycle regulation revealed significant alteration in transcription, as detected by real‐time PCR analysis, suggesting disturbance of cell cycle progression by mutagen treatment.