FAQs
Frequently asked questions will be available soon for our Hyphen BioMed products. Currently we have FAQ's available for the Xenometrix product line.
Xenometrix FAQ's
Why should I perform the Ames II Mutagenicity Assay rather than the standard plate incorporation test?
With the ready to use reagents and media, media preparation, autoclaving and sterility testing is no longer necessary. The Ames II Mutagenicity Assay is a liquid microplate modification of the standard Ames test which offers a higher speed format, easy handling and the possibility of automated plating and plate reading. The assay is fast and efficient, shows good correlation with the standard Ames test and consumes a lower amount of test compound than the standard Ames test.
Do you offer presentations of your test in our facilities?
We are happy to discuss your requirements and make suitable arrangements for you. Please contact us directly to discuss this. (mail Adresse)
How long does it take to perform the Ames II Mutagenicity Assay?
The assay lasts three days, however with much less hands-on-time as compared with the standard Ames test.
How much test compound is needed?
With a top dose of 5 mg/ml, 6 concentrations, triplicate, dilution range 2.5 5x, 2 strains +/- S9, the lowest amount of test compound is 27.5 mg.
With a top dose of 1 mg/ml, 6 concentrations, triplicate, dilution range 3.3 3x, 2 strains +/- S9, the lowest amount of test compound is 5.5 mg.
Which Salmonella typhimurium strains are used in the Ames II Mutagenicity Assay?
TA98 for the detection of frameshift mutations and TAMix for the detection of base pair mutations are used. TAMix is a mixture of the strains TA7001, TA7002, TA7003, TA7004, TA7005, TA7006 in equal proportions. Individually these strains are designed to revert by only one specific base-pair substitution. With this mixture, all the possible base pair substitutions can be represented in one culture.
Has the assay been validated?
An internal study with 30 compounds and an international study with 19 compounds in 9 different laboratories have been performed (4) (8).
Can we send you some compounds for testing?
Yes, we do test compounds for customers in our Client Research Laboratory. A Secrecy Agreement will be provided for protection with respect to commercially sensitive information and materials.
Are the components, reagents and media available separately?
Yes, all the necessary components for the performance of the Ames II Mutagenicity Assay are available separately and in any number.
Which version of the kit best suits my needs?
The Ames II Mutagenicity Assay, Manual System Kit is designed for the first time user of the Ames II test and utilizes plastic ware and pipetting supports for each part of the procedure, minimizing the potential for error. The Manual System Kit includes all strains, reagents and plasticware to test 1 compound in triplicate, with 6 concentrations, positive and negative control. The automated System for High Throughput contains the same strains and reagents necessary to perform the assay for at least 10 compounds in triplicate, 6 concentrations, positive and negative control, as the Manual System Kit, but does not include the plasticware needed to perform the assay.
Sometimes when Im scoring my Ames II plates, there are wells that look like they are starting to turn from purple to yellow, but are not completely yellow. Should these be scored as positive or negative?
In the case of wells that are not distinctly yellow, it is best to look for the presence of a colony in the bottom of the well. In general, if the well appears to be turning yellow, there will be a colony on the bottom of the well. If a colony is present, the well should be scored as positive. The optimal way to see the colonies is to place the plate on a light box so that the colony appears as a dark dot.
