Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) is a physical phenomenon, that requires close proximity of a donor molecule and an acceptor molecule (1-10 nm typically). As a result of excitation by light that only the donor can absorb, the donor dye changes into an excited state and transfers energy without the emission of a photon to the acceptor dye. If the acceptor dye is fluorescent, it will emit light, typically at a much longer wavelength than the donor dye can emit itself. Today, FRET techniques are getting employed in a wide variety of applications, such as receptor/ligand studies, membrane fusion assays, fluorogenic protease assays or immunoassays.
The diversity of methods and fluorophores available makes flexibility in fluorescence detection a must. Thus, our microplate readers enable you to not just detect Fluorescence Intensity (FI) but other assay technologies like FRET, TRF, HTRF® or Fluorescence Polarization (FP) as well.
Compare Fluorescence Microplate Readers
| Tristar 3 | Tristar 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Optical system | Single path for all detection technologies | Single path for all detection technologies |
| Light source |
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| Spectral range Absorbance | 200-1000 nm | 200-1000 nm |
| Spectral range Luminescence | Standard: 280-650 nm Extended: 280-850 nm | Standard: 280-650 nm Extended: 280-850 nm |
| Spectral range Fluorescence | Excitation: 230-1000 nm Emission: Standard 280-650 nm, Extended 280-850 nm | Excitation: 230-1000 nm Emission: Standard 280-650 nm, Extended 280-850 nm |
| Z-adjustment | ||
| Bottom reading | ||
| Filters | ||
| Monochromator for Abs. and Fluor. Excitation | ||
| Monochromator for Fluor. Emission | ||
| Filter identification | Manual | Manual |
| Wavelength scanning | ✘ |
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| Monochromator stray light | 10-6 | |
| Monochromator bandwidth | 4-22 nm |
| Tristar 3 | Tristar 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Injectors | Up to 3 JET injectors with frictionless operation | Up to 3 JET injectors with frictionless operation |
| Injector volume | 10-100 µL in 1 µL steps | 10-100 µL in 1 µL steps |
| Injector accuracy | Better than 2% across the entire volume range | Better than 2% across the entire volume range |
| Injector precision | Better than 2% across the entire volume range | Better than 2% across the entire volume range |
| Tristar 3 | Tristar 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Microplate formats | 6- to 384-well | 6- to 384-well |
| Plate height adjustment | 3 different frames depending on plate type | 3 different frames depending on plate type |
| Additional sample formats (optional) |
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| Optional Microplate Stacker |
| Tristar 3 | Tristar 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Absorbance precision | Better than 0.6% | Better than 0.6% |
| Absorbance accuracy | Better than 2% | Better than 2% |
| Luminescence sensitivity | <6 amol (0.03 pM) ATP/well (96-well plate) | <6 amol (0.03 pM) ATP/well (96-well plate) |
| Fluorescence sensitivity | <7 amol (0.35 pM) Fluorescein (384sv plate) | <7 amol (0.35 pM) Fluorescein (384sv plate) |
| TRF sensitivity | Not available | 5 amol Eu (96-well plate) |
| Crosstalk | 10-6 | 10-6 |
| Dynamic range | >6 orders of magnitude 0-3.5 OD | >6 orders of magnitude 0-3.5 OD |
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