QX100™ Droplet Digital™ PCR System

The QX100 Droplet Digital PCR system is used in numerous laboratories worldwide, helping scientists solve research problems using a variety of applications, such as copy number variation (CNV), rare mutation detection, gene expression analysis, and sample quantification for next-generation sequencing (NGS). There are many research areas that can benefit from digital PCR technology, including HIV research, cancer studies, and psychological disorders.

Read about other researchers' work and find out how they are employing digital PCR technology using the QX100 Droplet Digital PCR system.

Dr. Gary Lee, senior scientist at Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.

Droplet Digital™ PCR Opens New Perspectives in HIV Research, BioRadiations, June 2012
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc., located in Richmond, California, is developing HIV therapeutics toward a functional cure using their proprietary zinc finger DNA-binding protein technology. Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR™) – or third generation PCR – offers a superior solution because it can detect a target sequence within a single molecule, making it a powerful technology for low-copy event detection.

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Dr. Steve McCarroll, faculty member and principal investigator, Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT.

Third Generation PCR: A Novel Way to Accurately Measure Copy Number Variations in Human Genome, BioRadiations, February 2012
The McCarroll laboratory studies the biological effects of human genome polymorphism, seeking to define how genome variation influences gene expression and disease risk. About half of his laboratory works on understanding genome variation in general — its distribution, molecular properties, and influence on gene expression. The other half investigates genome variation to reveal the genetics underlying schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. McCarroll's laboratory was one of the first to acquire the QX100 system to study regions of the genome that are structurally complicated — regions that have been influenced by many different structural mutations in their history.

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Scientific Journal Articles

Conference Poster Presentations

Bio-Rad Tech Notes

BioRadiations Articles (Bio-Rad's online journal publications)

Bio-Rad's QX100 Droplet Digital PCR system has been recognized throughout the media for its innovative design, its contribution to the progression of PCR technology, and its significant role in research efforts to facilitate scientific advancements.

Awards

In the News

The high precision, accuracy, and sensitivity of Droplet Digital PCR can be applied to a range of applications, including copy number variation (CNV) and rare mutation detection. The following data illustrate the performance of Bio-Rad's QX100™ Droplet Digital™ PCR (ddPCR™) system.

Copy Number Variation Data
The QX100 ddPCR system provides high resolution between copy number states and allelic discrimination. The ddPCR system's CNV data are shown to help validate next-generation genome sequencing data.

Calculation of copy number variation. A, for MRGPRX1, the copy number states from 1 to 6 were completely resolved. B, SMN1 and SMN2 copy number estimation is plotted in two dimensions where each point represents an individual sample. The allelic discrimination 5' nuclease assays for SMN1 and SMN2 allow researchers to count genes that differ by only one nucleotide. C, CCL3L1 gene copy number determination on 19 samples demonstrates the accuracy and precision of ddPCR. The data demonstrate that copy number measurements cluster on integers up to 13 copies. Results validate previous next-generation genome sequencing data, indicating 5.7 copies for NA18507.** Samples were obtained from the Coriell Institute. All error bars represent 95% Poisson confidence intervals (CIs).

Rare Mutation Detection Data
The QX100 ddPCR system offers high sensitivity and displays the ability to measure the varying degrees of a cell line mutagenesis.

Duplex PCR using TaqMan probes targeting the BRAF V600E mutation. The data show ddPCR detects a 0.001% mutant fraction. AU, absorbance units.

Gene Expression Analysis Data
The QX100 ddPCR system enables gene expression analysis with ±10% precision.

The data show a dilution series of two mRNAs. β-actin (); ANP32B ().

Performance Data
The QX100 ddPCR system demonstrates a linear dynamic range, extreme precision, accurate quantitative measurements, and high sensitivity.

Dynamic range. A, concentration results for twofold dilutions from 150 to 150,000 copies/reaction; B, concentration results for 1.1-fold dilutions demonstrate precision at ±10% with a 95% CI. The error bars are at the 95% CI. The reference gene () was constant at 19,000 copies/reaction.

* Replicate variation (95% Cl).
** Alkan C et al. (2009). Nat Gen 41, 1061–1067.

A Breakthrough in Quantitative PCR
The QX100™ Droplet Digital™ PCR (ddPCR™) system is the third generation of PCR technology. The QX100 ddPCR system provides an absolute measure of target DNA molecules for quantitative PCR applications, such as copy number variation, rare sequence detection, mutation detection, and gene expression analysis. The QX100 ddPCR system provides single-copy PCR resolution to accelerate discoveries and new strategies for the research of inherited disorders, cancer, and infectious diseases.

A Simple, Elegant Workflow
The QX100 droplet generator partitions samples into thousands of nanoliter-sized droplets. After PCR on a thermal cycler, droplets from every sample are streamed in single file on the QX100 droplet reader to count positive and negative reactions. The PCR-positive and PCR-negative droplets are counted to provide absolute quantification in digital form.