The Vicki Ultra High Density Array & Registration System provides a rapid fail safe method of making 4 ultra high density arrays from nine separate 384 well microplates (9 X 384 = 3456 individual specimen blots) on a membrane.  Each spot contains ~20 nl of specimen.  The membrane can then be cut into 4 identical pieces and processed independently or saved for later assays.

If you need to screen large DNA, cDNA, EST or RNA libraries this is the system for you.  

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The Vicki Ultra High Density Array & Registration System is used instead of our guide pin/alignment system (MULTI-BLOT™ Replicator System) when you want to make 4 copies of ultra high density arrays (from nine 384 well microplates) on large membranes.  In this system a 4 panel window frame holds down a 32 cm x 22 cm membrane.  A second adjustable 4 panel window alignment frame fits on top and is positioned into one of 9 alignment positions using 2 alignment pins that fit through numbered alignment holes in the upper alignment frame and corresponding alignment holes in the lower membrane holding frame.  Each hole combination results in the upper alignment frame being shifted up and down and right and left into one of nine alignment positions in a 3 by 3 array.

This sketch illustrates one window frame panel of the Vicki Registration System.  As illustrated, the alignment hole/alignment pin system determines the position of the top alignment frame.  The top alignment frame is shifted into 1 of the 9 positions of the 3 by 3 array by placing the alignment pins into the appropriate alignment holes of the alignment frame and the membrane holding frame. 

Each position is precisely 1.15 mm (center to center) in either the x and or y axis from the other positions.  Thus when the Replicator housing is placed in the window frame it can be registered and the membrane blotted in 9 separate positions.  Furthermore the cluster of 9 spots is separated from the neighboring clusters of 9 spots by a center to center spacing of 2.0 mm thus the blots have the appearance of multiple 9 spot clusters which aid in the determination of spot origin.

The operation procedure is the essence of simplicity:

1. A VP 381V Library Copier is placed over a 384 well microplate to register the microplate to the Vicki Spring Loaded  MULTI-BLOT™ Replicator housing (VP 386V) containing a VP 386VR1 Vicki Replicator.  The external edges of the Replicator housing, index to an indentation in the LIBRARY COPIER™ thus assuring that the pins are positioned over the center of the wells.  The spring handle is depressed lowering the pins into the contents of the wells and the liquid is picked up on the pin tips as ~20 nl  hanging drops when the handle is raised.

2. The external edges of the MULTI-BLOT™ Replicator housing indexes into a window frame opening and rests on the membrane while the Replicator pins are in the retracted position.  The spring handle is depressed causing the Replicator pins to simultaneously blot the membrane.

3. This process is repeated in all four window panels using the same source plate and then the alignment pins are placed in the next pair of alignment holes and the whole process repeated using a new 384 well plate.  Multiple window frames may be used if more than 4 identical blots are needed.

The bottom of the Replicator housing makes depressions in the membrane that serve as reference points for image analysis purposes.  These markings also confirm that all alignment positions have been used correctly.  Although it is possible to do nine offset blots on the same membrane you can do as few as your application requires.