Although many advances in DNA analysis during the past decade have led to the current generation of automated sequencers, old and new systems share some commonalities. The DNA strand must be broken down into segments and replicated into many copies. Prior to DNA analysis, scientists and technicians must select a portion of the DNA strand for analysis and then use chemical solutions to extract that fragment from the entire strand. This process of sorting DNA strands by weight by using their molecular charge is called electrophoresis. Capillary electrophoresis improved the throughput of these processes, and systems that use multiple capillaries boosted performance even more.
Fluorescent dye passes out of the capillary mouth and into the cuvette.
According to project leader Kevin Hennessy, light budget is not a concern. Automated loading The initial work remains essentially the same. The technician must prepare the DNA strand and create a population. These samples are then mixed with fluorescent dyes geared toward the particular type of DNA analysis and goals of the experiment, and loaded into a sample tray. Up to four trays, each with either 96 or 384 wells, is placed on the work surface of the 3700.