Arrayit 384-well microarray microplates (MMP384) and our new ultra-low volume 384-well microarray microplates (MMP384UL) set the standard for microarray research. Rigid polypropylene construction and round well design make these product ideal for contact printing with Arrayit’s patented 946, Professional, Stealth and ChipMaker Micro Spotting Technology, and high-end microarray robots equipped with plate and lid handling systems. The unique well geometry and surface properties expedite the use of small sample volumes, which saves precious samples and reduces cost during microarray manufacturing.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Quality Control
• Product Description
• Plate Specifications
• Technical Assistance
• Short Protocol
• Complete Protocol
• Troubleshooting Tips
• Ordering Information
• Storage Conditions
• Warranty

Introduction
Congratulations on taking a big step towards improving the affordability, quality and speed of your genomics, biomedical, pharmaceutical and agricultural research.  This booklet contains all the information required to take full advantage of Arrayit 384-well microarray microplates.

Quality Control
Arrayit takes every measure to assure the quality of each microplate and microplate cover, and guarantees their use in microarray applications.

Product Description
Arrayit 384-well microarray microplates provide the highest quality microplates for microarray manufacturing and storage at affordable prices. Our products consistently outperform other microplates on the market based on quality, performance, and affordability.

Users will appreciate the following features:

• Superior low volume liquid handling
• New Ultra-Low Volume microplates for smaller sample volumes and greater savings
• Designed for use with ArrayIt® patented microarray printing technology
• Polypropylene high contact angle produces sample “beading” to facilitate pin loading
• Polypropylene has low DNA, protein, cell extract, and small molecule intrinsic binding
• Deep well depth and narrow well diameter minimize sample evaporation
• Sample volumes of 0.5-5 µl can be used with our printing pins
• Heavy-duty rigid construction compatible with automated plate handling systems
• Ultra-flat design allows true seating on robot printing decks
• Highly accurate well-to-well spacing enables easy calibration
• Free of electrostatic charge and sample binding problems associated with polystyrene plates
• Compatible with the VacuSeal™ microplate sealing systems
• Purchase in bulk for a wide range of life sciences and diagnostic applications

Standard 384-well microplate (MMP384) specifications

• Meets all SBS microplate standards
• Plate size (L x W x H): 127.1 x 85 x 14.3 mm
• Plate weight (without lid): 66.1 g
• Well depth: 12.1 mm
• Well circumference: 3.2 mm
• Well volume (max): 70 µl
• Recommended working volume per well: 3-10 µl
• Flatness (across entire plate): ±500 µm
• Well markings (left side from top to bottom):  A-P
• Well markings (top from left to right):  1-24
• Plate orientation notch: lower left corner

Ultra-low volume 384-well microplate (MMP384UL) specifications

• Meets all SBS microplate standards
• Plate size (L x W x H): 127.1 x 85 x 10 mm
• Plate weight (without lid): 26.7 g
• Well depth: 9.9 mm
• Well circumference: 3.1 mm
• Well volume (max): 40 µl
• Recommended working volume per well: 0.5-5 µl
• Flatness (across entire plate): ±500 µm
• Well markings (left side from top to bottom): A-P
• Well markings (top from left to right): 1-24
• Plate orientation notch: upper right corner

Figure 1. Arrayit ultra-low volume 384-well microplate (Cat. MMP384UL) shown on the left and the Arrayit standard 384-well microarray microplate (Cat. MMP384) shown on the right. Both plates provide premium sample loading consummables for contact printing using Arrayit patented microarray printing technology. Please make sure to re-calibrate the microplate loading position on your robotic microarrayer when transitioning from the thicker standard plate to the thinner ultra-low volume plate.

Figure 2. Arrayit ultra-low volume 384-well microplate (Cat. MMP384UL) shown with a patented 946MP3 microarray printing pin seated at the botoom of well A1. Our new low volume plates with tapered conical well bottoms enable microarray printing using 0.5-5 µl sample volumes for the ultimate sample conservation and cost reduction in microarray manufacturing.

Figure 3. Schematic diagram depicting how the superior well geometry and polypropylene surface properties enable low volume liquid handling and sample loading. An empty well (left) is loaded with 3 µl of sample (center), allowing easy loading of sample into a Micro Spotting Pin (right).  Recommended working volumes in the Microarray Microplate 384 are 3-15 µl.

Technical Assistance
Please contact us if you have any comments, suggestions, or if you need technical assistance.  By electronic mail: arrayit@arrayit.com (under the subject heading please type, "ArrayIt technical assistance"). By telephone:  (408) 744-1331, Monday–Friday PST 9:00am - 4:30pm. Please remember that we want to hear about your successes!

Figure 4. Contact angle measurement. A 1.0-µl droplet of H2O placed on a Microarray Microplate 384 (MMP384) produces a contact angle of 88° (red line). The high contact angle of polypropylene causes microarray samples to “bead up” in the bottom of the source plate, expediting low volume liquid handling and pin loading.

Figure 5. Plate wells top and bottom views. microarray microplate 384 (MMP384) viewed from the top (left) and bottom (right). The round 3.2 mm wells and conical well bottoms are clearly visible.

Short Protocol

1. Set up plates for printing.
2. Fill plates with samples.
3. Spin samples to bottom of wells.
4. Print samples into microarrays.
5. Seal sample plates for storage.

Complete Protocol

1. Set up plates for printing. Remove the microarray microplates from the plastic packages. Always handle plates with nitrile cleanroom gloves to prevent the transfer of particulates, powder and contaminating latex proteins onto the plates. Minimizing plate and sample contamination at all points during microarray manufacture will improve microarray quality. Microarray microplate covers (MMC384) can also be used to prevent sample contamination and dehydration.
2. Fill plates with samples. Prepare purified samples for printing such as PCR products, oligonucleotides, antibodies, proteins, cell extracts, small molecules, or any other sample of interest. PCR samples should be purified using either the 96- or 384-well PCR Purification Kits.  Purified DNA and protein samples should be re-suspend in an appropriate printing buffer such as Micro Spotting Solution Plus or Protein Printing Buffer, and loaded at 0.5-5 µl per well in the ultra-low volume 384-well microplate (MMP384UL) and at 3–10 µl per well into the standard 384-well microplate (MMP384). For best results always use ArrayIt Brand Printing Buffers. Samples should be free of particulates, salts, and other impurities that can clog printing pins and inhibit coupling chemistry. Liquid handling robots can be used to transfer printing buffer and other reagents (see Fig. 7).
3. Spin samples to bottom of wells. After the samples are loaded into each well, spin the plates by centrifugation for 1 min (500 x g) to ensure that the samples locate to the bottom of each well. Microarray microplate covers (MMC384) can be used to prevent dehydration during the centrifugation step. Plates can be spun in a Savant Speed Vac equipped with a plate rotor, or an equivalent centrifuge. The round geometry and conical bottom of the MMP384 and MMP384UL allows the samples to seat uniformly on the well bottoms, without adhering to the side of the plate as is observed with square well plates. Proper sample seating improves improving pin loading and microarray printing. Do not attempt to print microarrays without making certain that the samples are located correctly on the bottom of each sample well.
4. Print samples into microarrays. Once the samples are mixed 20 min x 1,300 rpm on a plate shaker) and centrifuged into the bottom of each well, place the plate on the microarrayer platen for printing. Make certain to position the plates accurately on the microarray deck (see Fig. 8).  Automation technology can be used to change plates and remove plate covers during printing. For best results with printed microarrays, use ArrayIt®  brand SuperMicroarray Substrates. For the ultimate substrate performance, users might also consider Mirror Substrates for enhanced signals and reduced background.
5. Seal sample plates for storage. After microarray printing, plates can be sealed and stored at room temperature, 4°C or –20°C for future use. The VacuSeal™ provides an excellent means of vacuum sealing microplates to protect samples against evaporation and environmental damage.

Figure 6.  Plate and plate cover. Shown are a Microarray Microplate 384 (MMP384) and Microarray Microplate Cover 384 (MMC384).  The clear plastic lid prevents sample dehydration during printing and facilitates plate and sample storage.

Figure 7. Arrayit 384-well micrplates are used in conjunction with low-volume liquid handling robots, which pipette microarray printing buffers into the plates in preparation for microarray manufacturing.

Figure 8. Arrayit standard 384-well microplate with samples is placed the microarrayer deck and samples are loaded using four patented Arrayit Stealth SMP3 pins. More than 24,000 SMP3 pins have been sold to research laboratories worldwide since 1997.

Figure 9. Arrayit standard microarray microplate (Cat. MMP384) with round wells and conical well bottoms for a wide range of microarray printing applications.

Figure 10. Arrayit ultra-low volume 384-well microarray microplate (Cat. MMP384UL) with round wells and conical well bottoms for a wide range of microarray printing applications.

Troubleshooting Tips

1. Micro Spotting Pins fail to load samples

• Samples not seated on the bottom of the plate wells
• No sample in the wells
• Pin clogged with particulate or salts (check wash/dry station)

2. Printed spots merge

• Sample volumes too large (use 3-15 µl per well max)
• Printing buffer too dilute (use 1X concentration)
• Spot spacing too close

Recommended Products

• Arrayit NanoPrint™ 2 Enterprise Level Microarray Printers
• Arrayit NanoPrint™ 2 Enterprise Level Protein Microarray Printers
• Arrayit SpotBot® Extreme Microarray Spotters
• Arrayit SpotBot® 4 Personal Microarrayers
• ArrayIt VacuSeal™ Vacuum Sealers
• Arrayit Microplate Foil Seals