RainDance RainDrop Digital PCR System

The RainDrop Digital PCR System from RainDance is an absolute method for DNA quantification. Template DNA is diluted to single molecule occupancy per reaction. Using millions of droplets as reaction chambers and end-point amplification, positive PCR reactions are counted as a direct measurement of the number of DNA molecules originally present. Fluorogenic probes are used to discriminate PCR(+) and (-) reactions and, unlike qPCR, standard curves are not necessary.

Built on the company’s RainStorm picodroplet technology, the RainDrop system generates up to 10 million pL-sized droplets per lane. Since each droplet encapsulates a single molecule, researchers can quickly determine the absolute number of droplets containing specific target DNA and compare that to the number of droplets with background wild-type DNA. The system also shifts the current digital PCR (dPCR) paradigm from a single colour per marker approach to a two colour with varying probe intensity method that is capable of multiplexing up to 10 markers.

The product is sensitive, able to detect one mutant amongst 250,000 wild-type molecules with a lower limit of detection of one in more than 1,000,000. The system is flexible due to increased multiplexing capabilities, with the ability to optimise the number of PCR reactions based on the user’s sensitivity and multiplex requirements.