Dear all,
I have no experience with the QIACube. However, I wish to automate DNA extraction for a variable number of samples. The machine often advertised to work with 12 samples. Is it possible to process less than 12 samples with this machine? Will reagents be wasted (i.e. will reagents be disposed off each time the machine is used). If an odd number of samples are used, will a balance tube be required for centrifugation and will reagents be wasted on that balance tube?
Thank you.
Hello Nathanael,
I cannot say anything about the QIACube. But I had the same problem some years ago: I needed an automated nucleic acid extraction machine and I didn´t know which one to choose. So, I decided to compare four of them under the same conditions. Attached you will find the results of this comparison. It´s a slide presentation with a few notes that I gave at a German Congress for hygiene and medical microbiology two years ago. Maybe this helps a little bit. If you have more questions don´t hesitate to ask.
Best wishes
Dirk
Dear Nathanael,
we use the QIACube routinely for RNA-Isolation in our lab. You need at least two samples (or 1 balance tube). It only uses the buffer needed for the samples that are processed, there is no waste when you use few samples (only when you have only 1, for the balance tube).
From 2 - 12 samples, it can process every sample number, even 5,7 and 11.
All the best
Jörg
I would highly give my thanks for Dick's informative answer.
In addition, I did some information grab and found that actually QIAcube uses the column other than microbead way to extract nucleotide. In a more understandable way of saying, column-method provide high purity, which cannot be offset by microbead-based machine.
From my opinion, if you are not limited to cost, QIAcube may be the best way for research or high-quality demand for nucleotides.
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