Once you’ve decided upon the right kind of oligo synthesis instrument(s) to invest into, the next most probable set of questions would take you towards working through the setup of your laboratory. ? How much space do you need to support your workflows and what else do you need to know? Below we summarise?six key considerations to get help with getting your lab set up:
- Space:?Once you have selected your instrument, you will need enough properly ventilated space for it, the associated reagents and room for post-production processing steps. Since oligo synthesis relies heavily on organic solvents, you’ll need to place the instrument in a fume hood, use two ventilation snorkels, or use a dropdown canopy. Post-production processing such as cleavage of the oligo from the solid support often need to be performed in a fume hood or a well-ventilated space.? ?
- Solvent storage and disposal:?Depending on the scale of your production, you may need to store several dozen litres of material in appropriately ventilated flammable storage cabinets, because the process employs organic solvents. You will also need to arrange for hazardous waste collection and disposal. ?
- Compliance:?Because of the use of organic solvents, many of which are highly flammable, you will likely need to consult your local fire codes to ensure compliance with regulations. These regulations may govern the amounts of solvents you may store on site, how those solvents are stored, and the type of signage required. ?
- Permits for controlled substances:?Depending on your country and location, some of the reagents used in oligo synthesis may be considered controlled substances for which you will need to obtain a permit. For example, if you use ammonium hydroxide/40% aqueous methylamine 1:1 v/v (AMA) for post-production processing, the methylamine is considered a controlled substance by the US Drug Enforcement Agency. ?
- Additional accessories:?To maintain the right environment for oligonucleotide synthesis you will need to supply your system with an inert gas. We recommend argon as it provides the most inert conditions for your reactions. You will also need reagent bottles with the right thread standard to attach to your system. ?
- Necessary equipment:?Additional equipment that your lab may need include an oven or a heating block, an evaporator, drying reagents, nucleic acid quantification instrument such as a Nanodrop or spectrophotometer and more.
For a full list of necessary equipment to support your in-house oligo synthesis successfully and safely,?access the full guide here. The technical support team at Biosearch Technologies can provide recommendations on the above aspects, instrument selection and more. If you have additional questions,?feel free to get in touch.
