When you compare the low cost of The Cloning Gun and its Pipectrode chambers with the cost of conventional electroporators and cuvettes, chemically competent cells, or lipofection reagents, the increased efficiency in terms of transformants per dollar is quite impressive. If you figure in time and convenience, especially in high-throughput experiments, the increased efficiency is truly remarkable. Finally, electroporation is a simple low-cost procedure for every scientist. Don't pay more for the antiquated technology offered by other manufacturers. You can use The Cloning Gun right at your own bench, or for contamination-sensitive samples, take it to the sterile hood.

     The MammoZapper™ version of The Cloning Gun™ is a unique non-ionic, minimally-conductive, near isotonic electroporation medium and ultra-short pulse time increases both transfection efficiency and post-zap viability. We took the guess-work out of electrical parameters by doing the electroporation research here. The Cloning Gun voltage and time parameters have been optimized to give excellent results with mammalian cells including neurons, astrocytes, neuroglia, lymphocytes, monocytes, fibroblasts, epithelial and endothelial cells from human, mouse, rat and monkey (see photos). Just ask us if we have tried it on your favorite cells, or get a gun and see for yourself (there is a 30-day money-back guarantee on all Tritech Research products). The thumbwheel pump and Pipectrode™ electroporation chambers are so much more user friendly than cuvettes and transfer pipettes that we guarantee The Cloning Gun is the most efficient and convenient electroporator you will ever have the pleasure of discharging.

The BactoZapper™ version of The Cloning Gun™ revolutionizes E. coli transformation. The Cloning Gun comes factory pre-set to the optimal parameters for transformation. TE can be greater than 10¹⁰ per µg of input DNA for cells harvested in phase. Even with standard stationary phase cells, prepared using our revolutionary, super-easy cell prep featuring our CompBooster™ Solution, overnight cultures can exceed 10⁹per µg.

Key Cloning Gun Features:

• Pipectrodes cost less than cuvettes, yield a higher TE (due to reduced cytotoxicity of the thin stainless steel electrodes as compared with ionizing aluminum electrodes), yet are more environmentally friendly.
• While sold as "disposable", Pipectrodes can be reused many more times than cumbersome cuvettes.
• You don't need an oscilloscope to know that it is working - simple red, yellow, and green indicator lights let you know if your sample and DNA performed according to normal parameters.
• At least ten times faster than any other electroporation device.
• Ergonomic design.
• Small and portable, cordless/rechargeable.
• Use it at your own bench or in the sterile hood!

  BactoZapper™ Features:

  • Much less expensive per transformation than commercially available competent cells.
  • 100-fold higher transformation efficiency, with much faster sample prep as compared with home-made CaCl₂ cells.
  • Only The Cloning Gun™ is optimized to work with the revolutionary Stationary Phase cell prep, developed at Tritech Research, which can yield over 2 x 10⁹ transformants per µg using simple overnight cultures.

  MammoZapper™ Features:

  • Unlike other methods, electroporation only introduces your molecule of interest (not extra calcium, detergents, lipids, projectiles, or viral particles).
  • Extremely high transfection efficiency without complicated expensive viral- mediated protocols.
  • More reliable and generally applicable than CaPO₄ co-precipitation.
  • Does not require costly lipid-based products.

For a recent comparison of the Cloning Gun to other electroporators by The Scientist Magazine, click here for a copy of the article on our site, or here for The Scientist Website.

      The BactoZapper™ version of the Cloning Gun™ is a cordless, rechargeable, hand-held electroporation instrument that achieves Transformation Efficiencies (TE's) of over 10¹⁰ transformants per µg of input DNA with E. coli bacteria. The completely portable, hand-held design makes transformation a one-step process. Just plug in one of our revolutionary disposable Pipectrode™ pipetting electrode tips to The Cloning Gun. Draw your DNA mixture into the Pipectrode using the ergonomic precision thumbwheel-operated pump, pull the trigger to zap it, and eject your transformants into an Agar Plate - all in less than 15 seconds!

      The MammoZapper™ version of The Cloning Gun™ is a cordless, rechargeable, hand-held electroporation instrument that achieves transfection efficiencies exceeding 50% of viable cells with a variety of standard mammalian cell lines. The completely portable, hand-held design makes transformation a one-step process. Just plug in one of our revolutionary disposable Pipectrode™ pipetting electrode tips to The MammoZapper. Draw your cell/DNA mixture into the Pipectrode using the ergonomic precision thumbwheel-operated pump, pull the trigger to zap it, and eject your transformants into a flask - all in less than 15 seconds!

      The MammoZapper™ version of The Cloning Gun™ is a unique non-ionic, minimally-conductive, near isotonic electroporation medium and ultra-short pulse time increases both transfection efficiency and post-zap viability. We took the guess-work out of electrical parameters by doing the electroporation research here. The Cloning Gun voltage and time parameters have been optimized to give excellent results with mammalian cells including neurons, astrocytes, neuroglia, lymphocytes, monocytes, fibroblasts, epithelial and endothelial cells from human, mouse, rat and monkey (see photos). Just ask us if we have tried it on your favorite cells, or get a gun and see for yourself (there is a 30-day money-back guarantee on all Tritech Research products). The thumbwheel pump and Pipectrode™ electroporation chambers are so much more user friendly than cuvettes and transfer pipettes that we guarantee The MammoZapper is the most efficient and convenient electroporator you will ever have the pleasure of discharging.

The Pipectrode® represents a major technical advance to electroporation. The most important factors for highest transformation efficiency are low toxicity, temperature control of the sample during electroporation and rapid recovery afterward.

Thin surgical stainless steel electrodes backed by water-ice temperature stabilizers provide a superior environment for cells during electroporation. We make use of the "latent heat of fusion" of water (it takes the same number of calories to melt 1g of ice as to heat 1g of water 80°C!), so your sample stays cool, which is important to avoid arcing. Since the Pipectrode is a pipette, you can eject your sample into recovery buffer instantly.

Tritech Research has designed a microinjection system that lets you control with exacting precision both the pressure and the duration of the microinjection pulse. And, it's available at a fraction of the cost of competing systems.

Our microINJECTOR™ System uses a precision pressure regulator and a high-speed electronic solenoid switching valve, yet it is amazingly robust and simple to operate. It allows you to start and stop injection within a fraction of a second and control the quantity and flow of material into your target with precision. Our electronic foot control is designed to keep your hands free so you can concentrate on the manipulation of your needle and target.

The microINJECTOR comes preassembled, ready to use. You need only attach the system to a compressed gas tank (e.g. N₂) or in-house pressurized air line at one end and your needle at the other. You set the desired pressure and the system delivers pulses of pressure to your needle. In the base model, the duration of the injection pulse is controlled by how long you hold down the high-speed electronic foot pedal. With our easy-to-use, reliable equipment there is no "magic" required. Even a novice will be turning out transformants the first day.

With our optional electronic Pulse-Length Control Module (PCM) you can set injection times from 0.1 to 10 seconds. Each time the pedal is pressed, a constant volume is reproducibly injected. This option is crucial for quantitative experiments such as transient expression assays following microinjection of DNA, RNA, protein or other substances.

By controlling the pulse length and pressure independently, you can compensate for the flow characteristics of individual needles; you can determine if the needle is properly placed prior to any appreciable damage occurring to your target; and you can fill your target incrementally. High pressure settings with rapid on/off pulses aid in unclogging needles.

As an added option to the microINJECTOR System you can hold your target with our state-of-the art Holding Pipette Controller (HPC)The HPC allows you to pick-up and hold your target with vacuum suction then release it with positive pressure. Our unique pneumatic foot pedal control allows a continuous range from vacuum through positive pressure depending on the position of the pedal. Ideal for holding and manipulating targets such as embryos and oocytes. Also useful for injecting ES cells into Blastocysts. As any of our customers will attest, within a short time you will be proficiently getting transformants.

• •Small Foot Print.
• •Excellent Quality Optics.
• •Includes our custom-made Hoffman Modulation Contrast (HMC) optics for DIC-like images at a significantly reduced price.
• •Trinocular head for photo and video documentation.
• •Available with a fluorescent system for detection of GFP, DAPI, Rhodamine, etc.

COMPARISON OF HOFFMAN AND DIC VIEWS
OF THE SAME C. ELEGANS WORM

HMC	DIC

In basic microinjection, the needle is either at a user-set pressure when injecting, or at atmospheric pressure when not injecting. In some cases, backflow of cytoplasm or medium into the needle can be problematic. For these cases, a lower "holding pressure" that is lower than the injecting pressure, but higher than atmospheric pressure is useful between injections. A holding pressure can also reduce needle clogging. No matter how careful a person is, needles occasionally do clog. For these cases, a short blast of a "clearing pressure," higher than the normal injection pressure, is useful to unclog the needles. The MINJ-D employs a user-friendly microprocessor to digitally synthesize injecting, holding and clearing pressures, as well as injection durations reproducibly. Using a simple "Menu" button, and Up and Down buttons, anyone can set the pressures and the injection duration in seconds. It's so intuitive, you won't have to read the directions! Here are the key features and specifications of the Digital microINJECTOR™:

• Most compact on the market

6" x 7" x 3" and weighs under 2 lbs.
(15cm x 17cm x 7cm and weighs under 1 kg)
• Fast response time between pressures (~100 milliseconds)
• Simple 3-button control
• Digital display with backlight for easy reading
• Microprocessor accuracy
• Foot pedal included for hands-free injection control
• Pressure range (applies to each of holding, injecting and clearing pressures): 0 - 100 psi
• Programmable Injection Duration: 0.1 - 999.0 seconds
• Built-in Vacuum Generator can be used to front-fill needles by aspiration
• Manual Injection Mode
• Injection Data-logging Port for optional computer interface
• Injection Control Port for optional computer control

• Most compact and robust on the market
• 6" x 7" x 3" and weighs under 2 lbs.
• (15cm x 17cm x 7cm and weighs under 1 kg)
• Simple 3-button control
• Digital display with backlight for easy reading
• Microprocessor accuracy
• Foot pedal included for hands-free injection control
• Total syringe volume: 100uL
• Programmable Injection volume: 0.000 - 25.000uL
• Programmable Injection speed: 0.4 - 25.0s/uL
• Programmable Agitation volume: 0.1 - 25.0uL
• Programmable Agitation speed: 0.3 - 25.0s/uL
• Manual Injection Mode