The iBlot® dry transfer system from Thermo Fisher Scientific: performance, speed and reliability
The iBlot® dry transfer system from Thermo Fisher Scientific revolutionises the traditional Western and Southern blotting process with innovative technology and a design focused on efficiency. It combines the iBlot® Gel Transfer Device with disposable iBlot® Transfer Stacks, offering a complete solution that requires no buffer preparation and can transfer proteins or nucleic acids to membranes in less than 8 minutes.
The key to the success of the iBlot® system lies in the use of pre-integrated materials: each Transfer Stack includes a transfer membrane (nitrocellulose, PVDF or nylon) and a gel matrix containing the copper electrodes and the cathode and anode buffers required for electrotransfer. This configuration generates a high electric field at a short distance between the electrodes, resulting in faster and more efficient transfer.
The iBlot® device incorporates a microprocessor-controlled power supply, allowing precise programming of transfer conditions using 10 preset programmes. The transfer is therefore standardised, reproducible and secure. The absence of external buffers and the closed design reduce the risk of contamination and experimental variability.
The versatility of the system is another major advantage: the iBlot® is compatible with a wide variety of gels, including NuPAGE® Bis-Tris, Tris-Acetate, Tricine, Tris-Glycine, and E-PAGE™ gels in mini and midi formats. It also allows DNA transfer from agarose or polyacrylamide gels and rapid Western detection using iBlot® Western Detection Stacks.
With its intuitive user interface and compact design, the iBlot® system fits easily into any laboratory environment. Transfer assembly is quick using special rollers to remove air bubbles (De-bubbling Roller and Blotting Roller), and the use of ready-to-use membranes eliminates any pre-treatment steps.
At the end of the transfer, the device automatically signals that the operation is complete and the disposable components can be easily removed. The transfer is therefore not only fast but also error-free, while guaranteeing optimal result quality, particularly in terms of protein detection.
The iBlot® system offers considerable time savings, reduced handling, improved reproducibility and great flexibility of use.
