Merck Millipore Launches Direct Detect™ Biomolecular Quantitation System, Offering Significant Advantages over Bradford and Lowry Assays

• Uses novel membrane technology for rapid and simplified sample preparation
• Infrared–based spectrometry system provides accurate, sequence-independent analysis that requires minimal sample size
• Overcomes limitations of traditional protein quantitation methods such as Lowry and Bradford assays

March 13, 2012, Darmstadt, Germany — Merck Millipore, the Life Science division of Merck KGaA* of Darmstadt, Germany, today launched the Direct Detect™ system for rapid, simplified protein quantitation. The Direct Detect™ system exploits Merck Millipore’s membrane expertise to enable infrared-based measurement of amide bonds in protein chains, an intrinsic component of every protein, without relying on amino acid composition, dye-binding properties, or redox potential. Conventional assays based on UV-Vis spectroscopy rely on absorbance by a protein’s aromatic amino acids and therefore have limited utility.

“In addition to its analytical powers, the Direct Detect™ system provides a groundbreaking departure from traditional sample prep requirements typical of biomolecular quantitation. After samples are spotted on assay cards, they can be stored in ambient conditions without appreciable change in readout,” describes John Sweeney, Head of Life Science Business Field, Merck Millipore. “Another important advantage over conventional assays is that the Direct Detect™ calibration standard curve requires generation once, which provides additional time savings and ease of use.”

The system employs a hydrophilic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane designed to be transparent in most of the infrared spectral region and enables application of biomolecule solutions directly onto the membrane. The Direct Detect™ system delivers more universally applicable and faster protein quantitation, requiring minimal sample consumption. System accuracy and precision are comparable with results obtained by amino acid analysis, an accurate standard for quantitation, yet can be time-consuming and often costly.

Because the system relies on IR-based detection of biomolecules, users can obtain accurate and reproduc¬ible protein quantitation in presence of reducing agents and detergents. As a result, the Direct Detect™ system can measure protein concentrations from 0.2 mg/mL to 5 mg/mL within seconds, without any bio- or immunochemical staining, directly from samples, including buffered solutions.

The Direct Detect™ system can also be used to provide information on non-protein sample components, such as lipids and nucleic acids.

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About Merck Millipore
Merck Millipore is the Life Science division of Merck KGaA of Germany and offers a broad range of innovative, performance products, services and business relationships that enable our customers’ success in research, development and production of biotech and pharmaceutical drug therapies. Through dedicated collaboration on new scientific and engineering insights, and as one of the top three R&D investors in the Life Science Tools industry, Merck Millipore serves as a strategic partner to customers and helps advance the promise of life science.

Headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, the division has around 10,000 employees, operations in 67 countries and 2010 revenues of EUR 1.7 million. Merck Millipore operates as EMD Millipore in the U.S. and Canada.

Note: Merck KGaA or Merck shall mean Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany