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The Microlab Prep can perform cherry-picking, or hit-picking, using a Hit Picking step. Any combination of sources, targets, and volumes can be supplied from a worklist using this advanced step. This article describes how to create a Hit Picking step and configure the worklist settings.

Keep in mind that hit picking requires 2 Independent Channels. If your Prep only has an 8-Probe Head, you cannot use Hit Picking steps in your protocols.

Requirements

If your labware is available, load it on the deck of the Prep so it can be auto-detected. If the labware is not available, you can still design the protocol by selecting labware options manually in the procedure.

Procedure

  • Version 2.1

    1. Tap New Protocol to get started. If you are adding hit-picking to an existing protocol, skip to step 4.
    2. If your labware is available, place it on the deck and tap Detect. The Microlab Prep’s camera will scan the labware on the deck and identify it. A model of the deck layout will appear, with either the detected labware or empty sites where labware can be added.

      If the camera is not being used to detect labware, tap the Add button to manually select each piece of labware for the deck.
    3. Confirm the detected labware. Some detected labware may need to be defined with more detail, especially tips. To select the specific variant of a piece of labware, tap any sites that is labeled “Select labware” and select which labware you loaded. If the correct labware is not listed, tap “Other…” to manually select from the full list of labware.

      If the camera was not used to detect labware, tap empty sites to add labware manually. When the list of labware appears, use the filters on the left side of the page to narrow down the list. If favorite labware has been added, the “Show only favorites” option will automatically be enabled. If your labware is not available, learn about requesting new labware.
    4. When the protocol overview appears, tap New Step, Advanced, then select Hit Picking.
    5. Select whether the step will always use the same file or prompt the user for the file at the beginning of the protocol. If the same file will be used every run, tap Browse to select the file. Make sure you have a USB drive ready with the file.

      Keep in mind that only CSV files may be used for a Hit Picking step.
    6. Specify which data the worklist will provide and tap Next. Source containers, target containers, and volumes may come from a worklist. Different selections will require different column headers and data in the worklist. Tap “Review file requirements” to check what is required from your worklist.
      • Selecting sources as deck locations will require adding two columns to your worklist: “SourceSite” and “SourceWell”. The source site is the number of the deck site where the source labware will be placed (1, 2, … 8). The source well is the label of the well or tube (A1, B1, …) on the source labware to aspirate from.
      • Selecting sources with barcodes will require one of two column sets: SourceSiteBarcode” and “SourceWell”, or just “SourceWellBarcode”. The source site barcode refers to a plate barcode, which must be accompanied by the source wells (A1, B1, …) to aspirate from.

        If the source wells or tubes themselves are barcoded, a site barcode is not needed.
      • Selecting targets as deck locations will require adding two columns to your worklist: “TargetSite” and “TargetWell”. The target site is the number of the deck site where the target labware will be placed (1, 2, … 8). The target well is the label of the well or tube (A1, B1, …) on the target labware to dispense to.
      • Selecting targets with barcodes will require one of two column sets: TargetSiteBarcode” and “TargetWell”, or just “TargetWellBarcode”. The target site barcode refers to a plate barcode, which must be accompanied by the target wells (A1, B1, …) to dispense to.

        If the target wells or tubes themselves are barcoded, a site barcode is not needed.
      • Selecting volumes will require adding a “Volume” column to your worklist. The volumes must be in µL, and the values must be to one decimal place at most. Keep in mind that if the worklist only contains a volume column, then the worklist can only contain a single volume.
    7. If the sources are not provided in the worklist, select them and tap Next. Source selection for Hit Picking works like any other step if the worklist will not provide sources.
    8. If the targets are not provided in the worklist, select them and tap Next. Target selection also works like any other step, including the option to dispense to liquid waste.
    9. Enter the required pipetting settings for this step. At minimum, you need to specify the tip type, volume (if it will not be provided in the worklist), and liquid type.
    10. Adjust the default settings in the Tip, Aspirate, Dispense, and Liquid tabs (optional). In most cases, the default settings will be sufficient for hit-picking.
    11. Tap Finish to complete the step. Verify the protocol to check for errors. All changes are saved automatically, so you can exit the protocol without losing progress after finishing the step.
    12. Make sure to add a Read Barcodes step if your worklist has source or target barcodes. Double-check that all the barcoded labware in your worklist is selected in the step.
  • Version 2.0

    1. Tap New Protocol to get started. If you are adding hit-picking to an existing protocol, skip to step 4.
    2. If your labware is available, place it on the deck and tap Detect. The Microlab Prep’s camera will scan the labware on the deck and identify it. A model of the deck layout will appear, with either the detected labware or empty sites where labware can be added.

      If the camera is not being used to detect labware, tap the Add button to manually select each piece of labware for the deck.
    3. Confirm the detected labware. Some detected labware may need to be defined with more detail, especially tips. To select the specific variant of a piece of labware, tap any sites that is labeled “Select labware” and select which labware you loaded. If the correct labware is not listed, tap “Other…” to manually select from the full list of labware.

      If the camera was not used to detect labware, tap empty sites to add labware manually. When the list of labware appears, use the filters on the left side of the page to narrow down the list. If favorite labware has been added, the “Show only favorites” option will automatically be enabled. If your labware is not available, learn about requesting new labware.
    4. When the protocol overview appears, tap New Step, Advanced, then select Hit Picking.
    5. Select whether the step will always use the same file or prompt the user for the file at the beginning of the protocol. If the same file will be used every run, tap Browse to select the file. Make sure you have a USB drive ready with the file.

      Keep in mind that only CSV files may be used for a Hit Picking step.
    6. Specify which data the worklist will provide and tap Next. Source containers, target containers, and volumes may come from a worklist. Different selections will require different column headers and data in the worklist. Tap “Review file requirements” to check what is required from your worklist.
      • Selecting sources will require adding two columns to your worklist: “SourceSite” and “SourceWell”. The source site is the number of the deck site where the source labware will be placed (1, 2, … 8). The source well is the label of the well or tube (A1, B1, …) on the source labware to aspirate from.
      • Selecting targets will require adding two columns to your worklist: “TargetSite” and “TargetWell”. The target site is the number of the deck site where the target labware will be placed (1, 2, … 8). The target well is the label of the well or tube (A1, B1, …) on the target labware to dispense to.
      • Selecting volumes will require adding a “Volume” column to your worklist. The volumes must be in µL, and the values must be to one decimal place at most.
    7. If the sources are not provided in the worklist, select them and tap Next. Source selection for Hit Picking works like any other step if the worklist will not provide sources.
    8. If the targets are not provided in the worklist, select them and tap Next. Target selection also works like any other step, including the option to dispense to liquid waste.
    9. Enter the required pipetting settings for this step. At minimum, you need to specify the tip type, volume (if it will not be provided in the worklist), and liquid type.
    10. Adjust the default settings in the Tip, Aspirate, Dispense, and Liquid tabs (optional). In most cases, the default settings will be sufficient for hit-picking.
    11. Tap Finish to complete the step. Verify the protocol to check for errors. All changes are saved automatically, so you can exit the protocol without losing progress after finishing the step.
  • Version 1.0

    1. Tap New Protocol to get started. If you are adding hit-picking to an existing protocol, skip to step 4.
    2. If your labware is available, place it on the deck and tap Detect. The Microlab Prep’s camera will scan the labware on the deck and identify it. A model of the deck layout will appear, with either the detected labware or empty sites where labware can be added.

      If the camera is not being used to detect labware, tap the Add button to manually select each piece of labware for the deck.
    3. Confirm the detected labware. Some detected labware may need to be defined with more detail, especially tips. To select the specific variant of a piece of labware, tap any sites that is labeled “Select labware” and select which labware you loaded. If the correct labware is not listed, tap “Other…” to manually select from the full list of labware.

      If the camera was not used to detect labware, tap empty sites to add labware manually. When the list of labware appears, use the filters on the left side of the page to narrow down the list. If favorite labware has been added, the “Show only favorites” option will automatically be enabled. If your labware is not available, learn about requesting new labware.
    4. When the protocol overview appears, tap New Step, Advanced, then select Hit Picking.
    5. Select whether the step will always use the same file or prompt the user for the file at the beginning of the protocol. If the same file will be used every run, tap Browse to select the file. Make sure you have a USB drive ready with the file.

      Keep in mind that only CSV files may be used for a Hit Picking step.
    6. Specify which data the worklist will provide and tap Next. Source containers, target containers, and volumes may come from a worklist. Different selections will require different column headers and data in the worklist. Tap “Review file requirements” to check what is required from your worklist.
      • Selecting sources will require adding two columns to your worklist: “SourceSite” and “SourceWell”. The source site is the number of the deck site where the source labware will be placed (1, 2, … 8). The source well is the label of the well (A1, B1, …) or tube (1, 2, …) on the source labware to aspirate from.
      • Selecting targets will require adding two columns to your worklist: “TargetSite” and “TargetWell”. The target site is the number of the deck site where the target labware will be placed (1, 2, … 8). The target well is the label of the well (A1, B1, …) or tube (1, 2, …) on the source labware to dispense to.
      • Selecting volumes will require adding a “Volume” column to your worklist. The volumes must be in µL, and the values must be to one decimal place at most.
    7. If the sources are not provided in the worklist, select them and tap Next. Source selection for Hit Picking works like any other step if the worklist will not provide sources.
    8. If the targets are not provided in the worklist, select them and tap Next. Target selection also works like any other step, including the option to dispense to liquid waste.
    9. Enter the required pipetting settings for this step. At minimum, you need to specify the tip type, volume (if it will not be provided in the worklist), and liquid type.
    10. Adjust the default settings in the Tip, Aspirate, Dispense, and Liquid tabs (optional). In most cases, the default settings will be sufficient for hit-picking.
    11. Tap Finish to complete the step. Verify the protocol to check for errors. All changes are saved automatically, so you can exit the protocol without losing progress after finishing the step.

      If you have other steps in your protocol, you might notice that the Hit Picking step is always added to the beginning of the protocol. The Prep does this to maximize walkaway time, especially when the step is set to prompt for a worklist every time an operator runs this protocol.

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