MLPA fragments can be analysed on capillary electrophoresis devices from Applied BioSystems (ABI) or SCIEX. This includes devices such as ABI's 3130, 3500 and 3730 series, the ABI SeqStudio, and the SCIEX GeXP. You can also use the Promega Spectrum Compact and Hitachi DS3000 devices. A list of all suitable devices supported by Coffalyser.Net can be found in the MLPA General Protocol.
Devices that use non-denaturing conditions are not suitable. This includes the Agilent (formerly Advanced Analytical/AATI) Fragment Analyzer, the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer, the Agilent TapeStation systems, the Caliper LabChip GX/GXII and the QIAGEN QIAxcel.
Background
One of the primers used in the MLPA reaction has a fluorescent label. Primers are available with FAM labels (for ABI devices) and Cy5 labels (for SCIEX devices). Devices that are not suitable for the analysis of these fluorescent labels cannot be used with our MLPA products.
Devices that use non-denaturing conditions are not suitable because these conditions alter the relative mobility of the MLPA reaction products due to the formation of secondary structures. This may lead to different apparent sizes of fragments, and some fragments may even swap positions in the electropherogram.