Frequently Asked Questions

General
  • What does Biolytic Lab Performance, Inc. do?

    Biolytic designs, manufactures, and services the most advanced DNA RNA oligonucleotide synthesizers in the world.

    We provide innovative end-to-end oligonucleotide synthesis solutions including high quality laboratory instruments, synthesis and post synthesis accessories, synthesis consumables, instrument service, technical support and instrument upgrades that enhance our customer's oligo synthesis quality, efficiency, and research capability.

  • How can we contact you?

    If you have any questions about your Dr. Oligo dna synthesizer, rna synthesizer, Biolytic oligo synthesis accessories, or any general inquiries, contact us!
    You can visit our Contact Us page for all the ways you can contact us, through email or phone. Contact Us

  • What industries or businesses do you support?

    Our customers come from all over the world, researching a variety of topics. We have a wide range of customers in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, university labs, government institutions, research facilities, startups, and oligo synthesis companies.

    Our customers use our products such as our DNA synthesizers or RNA synthesizers, and services to make DNA and RNA. Applications include diagnostic applications such as test kits for testing for various viruses, bacteria or diseases, to therapeutic applications such as vaccines and drugs.

  • Is Dr. Oligo a part of Biolytic Lab Performance, Inc.?

    Dr. Oligo products (dna synthesizers and rna synthesizers) and services are designed and manufactured by Biolytic Lab Performance, Inc. Dr. Oligo is a trademark of Biolytic Lab Performance, Inc.

    To learn more our company history visit our company profile.

Purchases
  • How do I return a purchase?

    If you would like to return parts from your DNA synthesizer, RNA synthesizer, or other, please see our return policies here.

  • What forms of payment do you accept?

    We accept a variety of different payment options. See our full list of payment options on our policies page here

  • How do I get a quote for a product?

    Please reach out to our sales team for any purchasing inquiries for known Part Numbers

    For unknown Part Number quote requests, please reach out to our support team to get the Part Number of a product.

  • Do you ship to internationally?

    We ship worldwide. Please see our international policy here

  • Do you charge sales tax on any item?

    When required by law, Biolytic will collect Federal, State and/or Local sale, use, excise, and other taxes that apply to a Customer's shipment. These taxes are in addition to the purchase price of the Products subject to an order. Customer will remit the correct tax unless Customer is tax exempt and Biolytic has a valid signed tax exemption certificate on file.

Instrument and Accessories
  • Where are your instruments and accessories manufactured?

    All of our DNA RNA oligonucleotide synthesizers, synthesis and post synthesis accessories, and software are designed and manufactured in Fremont, California.

  • Can your DNA RNA synthesizer synthesize modified oligos?

    Yes, our DNA synthesizers / RNA synthesizers can use standard A, T, C, G phosphoramidites, as well as specials for 3'-, 5'-, and internal modifications, dyes such as FAM or cyanine dyes (Cy4, Cy5, etc), biotin, LNAs, backbone modifications, and more.

  • Do your DNA RNA oligo synthesizers support 'X' consumables?

    Our DNA synthesizers and RNA synthesizers use standard synthesis columns and synthesis 96-well and 384-well plates. We offer our own Biolytic Lab Performance, Inc. line of synthesis consumables that have been tested and verified to work, but third party synthesis consumables will work as well.

    See a full list of our consumables offerings on our Synthesis Consumables page

  • Are there laboratory set up requirements to install Dr. Oligo synthesizers?

    Our Dr. Oligo DNA RNA oligonucleotide synthesizers may be installed in laboratories that have a vent, a source of 100 psi of inert gas, and power supply of 110V - 240V, 50-60Hz.

    Each oligo synthesizer instrument will have it's own pre-installation requirements and checklist.

  • Are synthesis and post synthesis accessories included with a Dr. Oligo instrument purchase?

    DNA synthesis, RNA synthesis, and post synthesis accessories are sold separately.

    Biolytic Lab Performance, Inc. offers a wide variety of accessories that streamline DNA RNA oligo synthesis processess such as cleavage and deprotection, purification, and more. See our selection of accessories.

  • How many oligos can your DNA oligo synthesizer or RNA oligo synthesizer make in a day?

    We offer medium (48 oligos in a run), high throughput (192 oligos in a run), and ultra high throughput (768 oligos in a run) DNA RNA oligo synthesizers. The number of oligos synthesized per day depends on your DNA synthesizer / RNA synthesizer throughput, as well as the length of your oligos.

  • How much do your DNA RNA oligonucleotide synthesizer cost?

    Our DNA oligo synthesizers and RNA oligo synthesizers are highly customizable to fit your needs. Prices vary based on instrument configuration.

    Contact our sales team for a quote

  • How much does 1 base cost in a 20mer? with different scales, such as 50nmol, 200nmol and 1umol?

    The price per base is dependent on the price paid for reagents. We can provide the volume per reagent needed to add one base. To determine the price per base, you will multiple the price of reagent by the volume needed. These volumes are based on using our protocols and our synthesis columns. Volumes may vary depending on your protocol or synthesis consumables.

    Below is an example of reagent consumption for 1 umol (1000A) columns:

    REAGENTS

    Deblock (3% TCA in DCM)
    Wash (Anhydrous ACN)
    Amidites (50 mM)
    Activator (ETT at 250 mM)
    Cap B (16% NMI in THF)
    CAP A (20% AC2O in THF)
    Oxidizer (20 mM Iodine In THF/Pyr/H20)

    Per Cycle

    500 to 600 ul (Dblk vol. is increased for later cycles)
    0.85 mL
    120 uL (6 excess)
    120 uL (30 excess)
    130 uL
    110 uL
    225 uL (4.5 excess)

    Total Volume per 20-mer

    10 mL
    17 mL
    2.4 mL (all amidites)
    2.4 mL
    2.6 mL
    2.2 mL
    4.5 mL

  • Are there any strict requirements for temperature and humidity?

    Instruments require a stable temperature environment. This means we do not want the temperature changing a lot (+ / - 5 degrees C is fine). No matter which DNA synthesizer / RNA synthesizer you choose, the reagents need to be kept dry and free of atmosphere contaminants such as water and oxygen (higher than 20%).

    Our synthesizers use inert gas pressure in the reagent bottles to protect the reagents and to move the reagents through the instrument to the reaction sites. We do not use vacuum pumps. We use positive pressure from inert gas for precisely moving reagent at a slow rate through the synthesis columns. The inert gas we recommend is Nitrogen that is 99.998% pure. The customer must supply this and this is a consumable as it will be used up for synthesis.

    For humidity, it is best to maintain a low humidity mainly for making and storing reagents. Once on our synthesizer, the reagents are protected and not affected by humidity. We ask for relative humidity to be non-condensing and below 60%. As we say this is for handling and storing the reagents before they go onto our synthesizer. All synthesizers that synthesize oligos using chemical solid phase synthesis produce chemical waste and reagent vapors. We have no pumps that would add to the volume of vapors. Vapors are produced and may get into the lab atmosphere when bottles are changed, when the waste is emptied and when inserting and removing the oligo reaction columns. These activities cannot be avoided regardless of the synthesizer. We do our best to capture these vapors and provide a channel to send them to a chemical fume hood.

Services
  • How do I get service for my DNA RNA synthesizer?

    We have a variety of service options and packages depending on your needs.

     

    Please visit our Service Plans page for more information about dna synthesizer and rna synthesizer maintenance services, and support

  • Is there a price list for repair, maintenance, and other additional costs? How about prices for spare parts and upgrades?

    Our website www.biolytic.com lists most of our spare parts. An average annual cost to maintain the instrument is 6% to 12% of the USA list price. This is highly dependent on your use case, and how you decide to perform maintainence on your instrument. The older the instrument, the more the cost increases as more things wear out. There will be components like gaskets, filters, tubing and valves that will need to be regularly replaced or maintained. Preventative maintenance is recommended to keep your instrument running smoothly.

    Concerning upgrades, that is dependent on what upgrade the owner is interested in purchasing. Upgrades can be hardware or software or a combination of hardware and software.

     

    Please visit our Service Plans page for more information.

  • Where can I get technical support?

    Our technical support team is ready to help you with any questions you may have about DNA RNA oligo synthesis or your dna synthesizer / rna synthesizer.

    Contact our support team.

  • I am having trouble with my oligo synthesis, do you offer support?

    Our team of application specialist and chemists are available for any chemistry, synthesis, or applications questions you may have.

    Contact our support team.

  • What does maintanence look like for your DNA synthesizers and RNA synthesizers?

    Maintenance is based on your usage. There will be components like gaskets, filters, tubing and valves that will need to be regularly replaced or maintained. Preventative maintenance is recommended to keep your instrument running smoothly.

    Check out our Services plan page to find out more.

Other

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