Capillary arrays are the core of the, ZAG™ DNA Analyzer, affecting all aspects of electrophoresis. Robust capillary array cartridges are a defining trait of the ZAG DNA Analyzer, shortening time to results by reducing the amount of conditioning steps necessary between separation runs, requiring only a single conditioning step for multiple runs, while maintaining resolution and quality.
Diagram Parallel Capillary Electrophoresis Array
dsDNA samples are loaded into the capillaries via electrokinetic injection. After injection, constant voltage is applied to separate DNA fragments. Capillaries pass through the detection window, where the DNA fragments are quantified in real-time by the optical platform.
Nucleic acid detection is accomplished with a rigorously designed optical platform comprised of an LED light source (470 nm excitation), camera lens, and CCD detector. Fluorescent light passes from the LED through the array window. The emitted fluorescence from the intercalating dye then passes through the camera lens and specific band pass filters and spatially imaged onto the CCD detector. This system enables real-time detection of nucleic acid separations.