Instantly capture full spectra for low volumes, microplates and cuvettes with the SPECTROstar Nano from BMG Labtech.

Using an ultra-fast absorbance spectrometer, it can capture a full UV-Visible spectrum (220 to 1000 nm) in less than 1 sec/well and measure sample volumes down to 2 µL. Use the built-in cuvette port for kinetic studies and quick experiments and measure all standard microplate formats up to 1536 wells. The SPECTROstar Nano makes absorbance measurements easy with single push button operation and predefined protocols for the most common absorbance assays such as ELISAs, DNA, RNA, protein (Bradford, BCA, Lowry), cell growth, beta-galactosidase, and many more.

Some of the outstanding features include
 
• Ultra-fast UV/Vis spectrometer
• Spectrum 220 - 1000 nm in <1 sec / well
• Microplate formats up to 1536 wells
• Cuvette port for standard, micro and ultra low volume cuvettes
• Low volumes down to 2 µL
• Multimode shaking and incubation
• Well scanning, kinetic and endpoint measurements
• Gas vent for atmospheric sensitive samples
• Powerful MARS Data Analysis Software
• Robot compatible

The SPECTROstar Nano from BMG LABTECH provides the perfect platform for the SoPRano™ label-free assay from PharmaDiagnostics. Using a unique and proprietary CCD-based spectrometer technology that can capture an entire absorbance spectrum in <1 sec/well, the SPECTROstar Nano performs the SoPRano™ label-free assay like no other microplate reader. Based upon well-known Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technology that has previously only been found in expensive dedicated biosensing equipment, the SoPRano™ label-free technology uses Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) – active Gold Nano Rods (GNRs) that can detect the binding of molecules to the GNR surface in a concentration dependent manner. IC/EC50 and KD values can be easily determined for biological interactions such as protein-protein or antibody-antigen.

A key feature to the SoPRano™ label-free assay is that an absorbance microplate reader can be used to measure the change in the LSPR signal upon binding, which manifests as a red-shift in the maximum absorbance wavelength. The specific spectral change upon ligand interaction depends upon the nature of the interactants. These specific changes provide both qualitative and quantitative information, therefore, full spectrum, far-red measurements (600-1000 nm) are necessary to fully analyze the SoPRano™ label-free assay.

Since the whole absorbance spectrum red-shifts when molecules bind to the SoPRano™ GNR surface, a whole spectrum needs to be measured. With the SPECTROstar Nano an entire absorbance spectrum (220-1000 nm at a resolution of 1 nm) can be instantly captured in less than 1 second per well, allowing for this red-shift to be readily measured. Other microplate readers have to ‘build’ the spectrum, this can take tens of seconds (or even minutes) and it is usually at a lower resolution.

In addition, features have been added to the SPECTROstar Nano’s MARS Data Evaluation software that allow for the SoPRano™ ratiometric data analysis to be done quickly and efficiently. After performing these ratiometric calculations, one-site binding curves are plotted and KD and IC/EC50 values are determined. All of these features make the CCD spectrometer-based SPECTROstar Nano perfect for the SoPRano™ label-free assay.