Absorbance assay from an M2P flower plate
Tijana Radivojevic, Matthew Incha, vblayroger, Apostolos Zournas, Stephen Tan, Hector Garcia Martin
Abstract
This protocol explains the steps for preparing samples and taking OD600 and OD340 measurements from a BioLector plate.
Before start
Make sure you booked the equipment in the calendar:
- 978-4-BIOMEK-NX-S8_ SPECTRAMAX (4148) EQ (1) (or any other "plate-reader" capable of measuring OD340 and OD600)
- 978-4-BIOMEK-NXP (4148) EQ (1)
Make sure you received proper training before operating on the Biomeks.
Steps
Required equipment/labware
Liquid handler:
Equipment
Value | Label |
---|---|
Beckman Coulter | BRAND |
Biomek NXp | SKU |
Pipette tips needed (available at Robotics lab):
- tips s200 (green box)
- tips p1000 (yellow box)
Spectrophotometer/plate-reader:
- Molecular Devices SpectraMax M2
- or any other spectrophotometer capable of measuring OD340 and OD600
Additional components:
- H2O
- m2p plate with cultures
Centrifuge options:
- Avanti-15R-centrifuge
- Allegra-25R
- Eppendorf 5810R
- (any swinging-bucket centrifuge capable of spinning a 96-deepwell plate)
- NOT the Eppendorf 5430
Biomek setup
We will use two Biomek methods for this assay.
The first method will prepare:
- a Tecan plate for OD600 measurements, with 10x dilution of the samples
- two 96-deepwell plates as an intermediate step for preparing a Tecan plate for OD340 measurements - one with 1 mL of samples (supernatant plate) and the other with 1 mL of water for balance in the centrifuge
The second method will prepare:
- a Tecan plate for OD340 measurements (aliquoting cell supernatants from the 96-deepwell plate)
Biomek run
The first method takes around 0h 5m 0s
before the pause and 0h 5m 0s
after the pause
- When the method pauses, remove the two 96-deepwell plates and continue the Biomek run
Centrifuge run:
- Place the two 96-deepwell plates sealed in the centrifuge and spin at max speed for
0h 5m 0s
Carefully remove the supernatant plate from the centrifuge, remove the seal and place it back in the Biomek * Start the second Biomek method to prepare a Tecan plate for OD340 measurements (takes around 0h 5m 0s
)
SpectraMax run
Start the Spectramax software "SoftMax"* Click "Open a data file" in the top left of the SoftMax window
-
Open the method for measuring OD600 named OD600.sda in the "My_Documents/Keasling_Lab/inch" subfolder on the Spectramax (NX-S8) computer

-
Open tray and place plate
-
Measure OD600 from the first prepared 96-well Tecan plate
-
Save the data (see step 7)
-
Click "Open a data file"
-
Open a method for measuring OD340 named OD340.sda in "My_Documents/Keasling_Lab/inch" subfolder on the Spectramax (NX-S8) computer
-
Measure OD340 from the second prepared 96-well Tecan plate
-
Save the data (see step 7)