PMA-Lite™ 2.0 LED Photolysis Device

An optimized photoactivation device designed for photolysis of PMAxx™- and PMA- treated samples in viability PCR.

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Product Description

The PMA-Lite™ 2.0 LED Photolysis Device is a light-weight LED light box specifically designed for optimal photoactivation of samples treated with propidium monoazide (PMA), PMAxx™ or ethidium monoazide (EMA) in viability PCR applications.

Features

Uniform and maximal illumination to 18 tubes
Internal fan to maintain temperature ≤37°C
Timer for 5-45 minutes of photoactivation
Universal outlet adapter included for customers outside North America
Two-year warranty from date of purchase

Specifications

Dimensions (W x D x H): 8.66 x 6.69 x 3.27 in. (22 x 17 x 8.3 cm)
Weight: 4.1 lb. 65.3 oz. (1.85 kg)
Frequency Range: 50~60 Hz
Power Range: 100~240 VAC
Maximum Power: 60 W
LED Output Wavelength: 465-475 nm

Controlled & Consistent Photoactivation

The PMA-Lite™ 2.0 LED Photolysis Device was developed to offer controlled and consistent photoactivation of viability PCR samples treated with PMA, PMAxx™, or other photoreactive dyes. The device holds up to 18 tubes and contains multiple LED lights that are positioned to provide uniform and maximal illumination to all tubes. The PMA-Lite™ 2.0 is designed as an improved version over the previous PMA-Lite™ LED Photolysis Device by including an intuitive touch screen for programming and monitoring, in addition to offering more flexibility for photoactivation durations.

Viability PCR for Rapid and Sensitive Analysis of Microbial Viability

Viability PCR (v-PCR) merges the specificity and sensitivity of qPCR-based methods with a dead cell selective DNA binding dye such as PMAxx™, PMA, or EMA. The technique is extremely versatile and can be applied to numerous species of bacteria, eukaryotes, viruses, and archaea.

PMAxx™ and PMA are photoreactive dyes developed by Biotium to have superior dead cell selectivity over culture-based methods and the alternative EMA v-PCR dye. The dyes form covalent crosslinks with dsDNA upon exposure to intense visible light. The mechanism that underlies the distinction of dead microbes from live ones is two-fold. The DNA that is crosslinked to the dye is not efficiently amplified, and it precipitates during DNA isolation, resulting in a lower recovery of modified DNA. Because the dyes are cell membrane impermeant, when a sample containing both live and dead bacteria is treated with dye, only dead bacteria with compromised cell membranes are susceptible to DNA modification. In a real-time PCR reaction, dead cell DNA will show delayed amplification and higher Ct than live cell DNA. v-PCR permits quantitation of bacterial viability and can be used with complex, mixed-strain, or viable but non-culturable samples.

To learn more about the advantages of determining microbial or cell viability using viability PCR, visit the Viability PCR Technology Page.

PMAxx technology is covered by granted and/or pending US and international patents.

Product Attributes

Size

Each

Documents, Protocols, SDS and COA

Documents

PMA & PMAxx Application Note

PMAxx™ & PMA Flyer

Cell Viability and Cell Death Brochure

PMA & PMAxx™ References

PMA & PMAxx™ Validated Bacterial Strains

Protocols

PI-E90006

Datasheet

Datasheet Download

COA

Request the Certificate of Analysis

Citations

Download list of curated PMA and PMAxx™ References and a list of PMA and PMAxx™ Validated Bacterial Strains.

FAQs

PMA and PMAxx™ for viability PCR

What is the procedure for decontaminating the PMA-Lite™ 2.0 LED Photolysis Device?

Note: Do not remove the cover or introduce liquids to the interior of the PMA-Lite.

Thoroughly wipe all exposed PMA-Lite surfaces and the inner rims of the tube holes with 10% bleach in water (household bleach diluted at a ratio of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water).
Let the bleach sit on the unit for 10 minutes.
Thoroughly wipe the surfaces with dH2O.
Wipe the surfaces with 70% ethanol and allow to air dry.

What is the wavelength and brightness (luminosity) of the LED lights in the PMA-Lite?

The LEDs in the PMA-Lite™ and PMA-Lite™ 2.0 have a wavelength that is 465-475 nm and a brightness of approximately 600-800 millicandela (mcd). These are nominal values provided for reference use only, individual LED wavelength and brightness are not a calibrated specifications for the device.

There are three LEDs in each well (one bottom, two side) that provide illumination around each sample tube for efficient photoactivation.

The illumination in each well on the PMA-Lite far exceeds what is required for photocrosslinking of the viability dyes EMA, PMA, or PMAxx™ to nucleic acids. Therefore, any variability in brightness of the PMA-Lite LEDs should not significantly affect the v-PCR results. If performance verification is required, we recommend doing a functional PMA-PCR assay to verify that PMA-treated samples photoactivated in the device give qPCR results within an acceptable range. Mixing the samples during photoactivation and using longer illumination times may be necessary if the samples are complex and not fully transparent to light.