Here’s a novel and very clever method to detect specific amplicons produced by multiplex PCR in around 15 minutes using the naked eye, with no electrical power or gel electrophoresis.

It should be suitable for any multiplex PCR and is very scalable, so it could be useful for…

“High speed” research with excellent results

Here’s a novel and very clever method to detect specific amplicons produced by multiplex PCR in around 15 minutes using the naked eye, with no electrical power or gel electrophoresis.

It should be suitable for any multiplex PCR and is very scalable, so it could be useful for…

Mission accomplished! 🐟specimens and 🧬samples collected, electric organ discharges⚡️recorded, and 🧬PCR products generated Bento Lab 🧬 🧬 Thanks to Yann Guiguen, Raph Covain, Regis Vigouroux, Pierre Yves Le Bail, and team for the fantastic expedition! #FrenchGuianaExpedition

Preparing a 🐡PCR🧬Bento Lab 🧬 at the campsite in the Approuague River🇬🇫🌎🐟🐠🐡🧬 To fight against biodiversity loss, we must accelerate species identification and discovery🧬 #FrenchGuianaExpedition

Here’s a cheap and rapid direct PCR method for amplifying DNA from sporophores (fruiting bodies) of the myxomycetes (plasmodial slime moulds). It was developed to use a very minimal amount of tissue and so would be especially useful for scanty or rare and valuable collections.…

When conducting fieldwork in the Tropics🌎 it is common to have to improvise and work long hours🧬 🐟🧬Team fish processing samples, including PCR 🧬Bento Lab 🧬 campsite in the Approuague River🌎🇬🇫 #FrenchGuianaExpedition

In the quest for faster and more portable diagnostic PCRs, here is a new qPCR method called “FlashPCR” by Bustin et al. (2024) that allows a 10-15 min PCR on standard qPCR cyclers.

It could save valuable time in point-of-care medical testing, and importantly could help make…

For anyone wanting to learn or teach basic phylogenetics for DNA barcoding and identification, here are three introductory tutorials for identifying fungi, tardigrades, and flies, all using the free MEGA package for molecular evolutionary genetics analysis.

All three tutorials…

For anyone wanting to learn or teach basic phylogenetics for DNA barcoding and identification, here are three introductory tutorials for identifying fungi, tardigrades, and flies, all using the free MEGA package for molecular evolutionary genetics analysis.

All three tutorials…

Great to see some mobile Bento Lab and Oxford Nanopore lab prepping outdoors by Peter Larsen!

I am still messing with PCR'ring Nematodes. I see a weak band crushing a nematode with no Lysis buffer and a stronger band crushing using filter paper. Using LCO1490/HCO2198 primers.

If you’re interested in rapid in-situ metagenomics with Oxford Oxford Nanopore MinION, here’s a great example of how a lab-in-a-suitcase approach can achieve same-day on-site results, allowing “real-time functional and taxonomic monitoring of microbial communities in remote areas”.…

This is pretty cool!!!!!

For anyone looking for a simple PCR experiment for high school or secondary school students, here’s a great lab practical looking at length variations in a highly variable region of chloroplast DNA across different plant species.

It could be used as a stand-alone lesson to learn…

Here’s one way to increase the concentration of limited very low concentration DNA in a PCR: dry up to 10 μL of DNA extract in the bottom of a PCR tube, and then do a reduced volume PCR of 15 μL to 5 uL.

This method comes from Gaines et al. (2002), who investigated the role of…

How small a PCR volume can you use for PCR and metabarcoding to save reagents and money, and does it have any effect on the results?

Here’s an encouraging article from Buchner et al. (2021) that found no significant differences in metabarcoding results using PCRs of 5 µl to 50…

In Cayenne 🇬🇫🌎 double checking equipment Bento Lab 🧬 🧬before joining the French Guiana Expedition 🧬🧬🐟🐟🐡🐠🧬🧬Many thanks to Nayron Frances & Alberto Akama from the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi🇧🇷for providing additional lab supplies! 🧬And Luiz Peixoto for logistic support

Here’s a very ingenious study using fly-associated DNA (iDNA) to detect sylvatic anthrax caused by the bacterium Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis (Bcbva) in rainforest ecosystems, while also identifying fly and mammal diversity within the sampling areas.

Bacillus cereus biovar…