vapo.protect technology
Evaporation in a PCR reaction vessel not only limits the ability to work with low reaction volumes but also makes it difficult to obtain reproducible results. While common PCR instruments press a metal plate ontothe PCR consumable, the vapo.protect lid covers the PCR consumable with a cushion that conforms to the shape of the consumable—no matter which consumable you use. The snug fit of the cushion in combination with the high pressure and excellent heating capabilities of the lid reduce evaporation to a minimum. Evaporation leads to increasing concentrations of the PCR master mix components, especially primers. This, in turn,leads to non-specific binding. The changes in concentrations due to evaporation both during the experiment and between experiments can be a cause for great concern for any scientist who tries to keep variables to a minimum.

Figure 1: Liquid Levels of well positions of a PCR plate
after a run on the Mastercycler pro and Thermalcycler A.

Figure 2: SteadySlope temperature gradient technology in comparison to an unsteady down-ramping behavior of thermocyclers of other manufacturers.

SteadySlope Technology
The gradient option of the Mastercycler pro features SteadySlope technology to ensure that the heating and cooling ramp rates are identical in both gradient and normal operation. Thus, you can expect identical temperature control characteristics in both optimization and routine experiments.