OPS Diagnostics LLC products

High throughput homogenizers have helped to break the bottleneck of sample processing in the age of genomics and proteomics.  The Geno/Grinder^® cleared the path for biochemical isolations from all types of tissues.  Many labs, however, require more than a simple bead beater yet don`t need the capacity of the GenoGrinder^®.  The 1600 MiniG® was developed to fill this gap.

The Geno/Grinder 2010 is the most versatile high throughput homogenizer available today.

The HT Mini™’s compact design allows for rapid benchtop homogenization at a fraction of the cost of larger machines. The HT Mini™ accepts up to three 2 ml unskirted (i.e., conical bottom) microfuge tubes, offering a homogenization speed range from 2700 RPM to 4000 RPM. The digital readout allows for precise speed configuration and timing. The HT Mini™ has the capabilities to homogenize yeast, soft tissue, plant samples and much more.

The CryoGrinder System is your total solution for homogenizing, chilling and transporting small samples in-house. An improvement on the traditional mortar and pestle, the CryoGrinder™ tools retain the strength and durability of porcelain, while adapting to the scale of molecular biology.  The CryoGrinder™ mortar and pestle were specifically designed to grind small and difficult tissues (e.g., skin, sclera) at cryogenic temperatures. Their small design allows for grinding up to 100 mg of sample without excessive sample loss. A rechargeable, cordless wrench (screwdriver) assists in the grinding process.

SYNERGY™ Plant DNA Extraction Kit features a proprietary chemistry combining a grinding/extraction matrix and buffer system that rapidly disrupts and removes contaminants from plant samples. The Kit is easy to use, requiring the user to simply add up to 50 mg plant tissue and 500 µl Plant Homogenization Buffer to 2 ml pre-filled Homogenization Tubes prior to bead beating.  The homogenate is centrifuged to pellet cell debris and contaminants (such as polyphenols and protein), leaving the DNA in the supernatant.  While this cleared lysate is suitable for many PCR applications, DNA can be further purified by alcohol precipitation, if necessary, for samples with very high levels of polyphenols. 

CTAB Extraction Buffer is a widely-used reagent used to isolate DNA from plant tissues.  Polysaccharides and polyphenols are problematic contaminants associated with DNA isolated from plants.  CTAB Extraction Buffer effectively eliminates polysaccharides and polyphenols by employing the cationic detergent CTAB (hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide or cetyltrimethylammounium bromide), and the polyphenol binding agent, Polyvinylpyrrolidone. 

Tougher than silica, less expensive than stainless steel, and inert in most solutions, 100 µm Acid Washed Zirconium Beads are suitable for homogenizing bacteria and small tissues.  Beads are available in Acid Washed, Low Binding, and and Molecular Biology Grade format.  Since untreated beads are notorious for containing large amounts of debris and dust, all beads are acid washed, at a minimum, prior to packaging.

Low Binding Beads are chemically treated so they bind less solutes liberated from homogenized samples. Untreated silica and zirconium beads have surface chemistries that bind DNA, RNA, and proteins upon disruption of cells. Both enzyme and PCR-based assays have lower sensitivity when analytes are liberated using untreated beads. Low Binding Beads yield a greater concentration of solutes and provide greater range and linearity, especially in real-time PCR assays.