Biochips

Greiner Bio-One is specialised in the development of innovative molecular biology analysis methods. These include the biochip or DNA-array, a carrier medium accommodating a large number of biological or biochemical tests in a very compact space. This key technology enables biological and pharmaceutical research to clearly identify bacteria and viruses, for example, using the specific genetic fingerprint, thus achieving faster, more reliable diagnosis.

Greiner Bio-One’s HTA technology (High-Throughput microArraying) offers one of the first platforms for diagnostic use in microarray technology. It allows a multitude of individual tests to be performed in parallel in a small set of biological sample material. Laboratory and test facilities in industry, science and research use these innovative carrier materials for faster and more cost-effective analysis of DNA/RNA or protein sequences.

The applications for biochips range from human diagnostics to food analysis. For example, the PapilloCheck® test system detects various types of the virus responsible for cervical cancer (HPV). The ParoCheck® DNA chip identifies a unique range of bacteria that give rise to the widespread diseases gingivitis and periodontitis. For the first time, the CarnoCheck® DNA chip enables up to eight animal species to be detected in foodstuffs and animal feeds. The CytoInspect™ test system identifies contamination with mycoplasmas in biological materials at species level and was developed for quality assurance in the biopharmaceutical industry.

The biochips of the oCheck® product range from Greiner Bio-One were developed as complete systems that also include a scanner with corresponding software to digitally evaluate data.

HTA™Platforms

HTA™Slide1
The plastic slide HTA™Slide1 has the dimensions of a standard 25mm x 75mm glass slide and can be used for the processing of one sample.

HTA™Slide12
The HTA™Slide12 is also a plastic slide and has the same dimensions as the HTA™Slide1 but is partitioned into 12 flat compartments; each with a printable surface of 6mm x 6mm and a low well rim of only 0.5mm. 12 samples can be processed simultaneously. Therefore the HTA™Slide12 is able to combine the advantages of the universal microplate platform with microarrays for diagnostic applications due to an identical well geometry compared with a standard 96 well microplate.

HTA™Plate
With 96 shallow wells and a low well rim of only 0.3mm, the HTA™Plate has been optimised for the simultaneous analysis of multiple samples. The low height of the rims facilitates both quick
and cost-effective printing of a wide range of analytes into the 96 “wells” of the plate. Additionally modern robotic spotters and arrayers are already equipped to handle this 96 well format. The partition of the plate into four individual strips containing 24 wells each gives the user a high degree of flexibility permitting processing of a variable number of samples each day. For processing, a removable wash collar allows a temporary increase in volume for hybridisation and washing procedures, and is removed prior to detection. The dimensions of the HTA™Plate are compatible with automated systems.

HTA™Buffer Systems
Greiner Bio-One and SCIENION have developed integrated and complete systems for the production and use of DNA- and protein microarrays on the HTA™Platform.

• Complete and integrated systems for DNA and protein applications
• Optimised buffer systems for each HTA™ surface modification
• Ultra-pure reagents
• Purified by sterile filtration
• Premixed
• Minimised array-to-array variation
• Expedited data analysis

PapilloCheck®

The PapilloCheck® CE-IVD diagnostic kit is intended to be used for the qualitative detection and genotyping of 24 types (18 highrisk and six low-risk types) of the human papilloma virus in DNA
preparations from human cervical smears. The assay is based on the detection of a fragment of the E1 gene of the human papilloma virus and allows the simultaneous processing of 12 cervical
specimens. Nearly error-free results are guaranteed due to the integration of controls for the quality of the DNA extraction, PCR, spot homogeneity and the hybridisation efficiency. In addition, the
integration of dUTP in the PapilloCheck® MasterMix ensures the elimination of carry-over contaminations from previous PCR reactions.

ParoCheck®

Inflammation of the gum and the paradontium are among the most frequent human diseases. Certain bacterial species can serve as indicators to detect such changes early and thus successful treatment is possible. ParoCheck®is approved as an In-vitro Diagnostic (IVD) which can detect up to 20 different
characteristic indicative pathogens.

CarnoCheck®

Consumer protection and quality assurance play an increasing role in public awareness, especially in the production of food. Greiner Bio-One has taken into account this need for transparency with
the development of the ready-to-use kit CarnoCheck®. With this biochip eight different animal species (donkey, chicken, horse, turkey, cow, sheep, pig, goat) can be unequivocally identified in food or other products.

CytoInspect™
CytoInspect™ detects mycoplasma species with a universal mycoplasma probe (including Acholeplasma sp., Spiroplasma sp. and Ureaplasma sp.) and identifies 40 individual species using species-specific probes which can then be used to track the source of contamination. CytoInspect™ is offered as a complete ready-to-use kit and includes the CytoInspect™ DNA-chips, the PCR MasterMix, buffers and a detailed instruction manual.