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AAT Bioquest

What are the important considerations when performing multi-sample sonication for my ChIp experiment?

Posted April 12, 2024


Answer

There are several important considerations when performing multi-sample sonication for ChIP experiments. 

  • Before using most multi-sample sonicators, it's essential to degas the water. This step is crucial because any air bubbles or contamination in the water can disrupt the acoustic wave and cause it to scatter. The duration of degassing varies depending on the device and may take several hours in some instances.
  • Water bath sonicators often have "hot spots" where sonication is more effective, necessitating sample rotation to ensure uniform treatment. They also require more energy due to lower frequency waves, which can lead to overheating and sample damage. 
  • In contrast, focused ultrasonic technology offers higher frequency waves, reducing sonication time and heat generation. 
  • It is potentially costly, particularly for the expense of plates required for certain high-throughput models.
Additional resources

Chromatin immunoprecipitation: optimization, quantitative analysis and data normalization

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP)

ReadiPrep™ Protein A-Agarose Resin

Antibody & Protein Conjugation Service