electroporation cuvettes-single use only? - (Sep/23/2006 )

hi,
can electroporation cuvettes be used just once really?
i mean do you think i can use them again and again for the transformation of same bacterial line with the same DNA?

Hi...

They say it is only one time use but i think it can be used juz once more if it is same DNA and the same bacterial line....
the marketing executive who came to demonstrate the electroporator said if doing the same DNA and bacterial line the same cuvette can be used again for electroporation on the same day...
gud luck...try and c

actually those single use eletroporation cuvettes can be use again, and again and again and again.

Until it cracks from miss use and rough handling.

After a cuvette is used, simply throw it into a beaker of dilute Trigen (non ionic detergent)

Once beaker is full rinse the cuvettes rigorously at least 5 times under running tap water, followed by at least 4 times with distilled water. Soak in very hot distilled water for 15mins (optional). Then shake vigourously with 70% EtOH for 20mins (we use a shaker to do the shaking). Replace the solution with fresh 70% EtOH, shake some more(20min). Do this for a final third cycle. Then drain EtOH, cover and leave in on bench for a few days for EtOH to evaporate.

we used to use he cuvettes till they cracked.

We would wash them and throw the cuvettes in beaker with 70% ethanol. We would then wash it vigorously with water for a couple of times and then finally wash it in distilled water and then again dry it.

we pretty much follow the same as mentioned above in our lab, except we expose the cuvettes to UV light (about 5 min) also......

ok here really simple, they just wash with ethanol three times and resuse directly. as everyone here is convinced to have great results, i keep reporting contamination. i am wondering if it's from the cuvettes however we only have 5 cuvettes in the lab which are constantly reused for many years so i can't try with new ones to double check, ordering of which is out of question obviuosly. anyway i am beginning to suspect that others also have contamination but dont report..

Contamination.. oh dear. It does happen with reusing cuvettes but it is usually very small.

Cuvettes can be rather cheap if you were to shop around. I am not sure how much they cost in Japan, but in UK the price can vary from 11GBP per cuvette all the way down to 1GBP. The cuvettes all look exactly the same, work the same. They even have the same colour coding. I think it is the same product just priced differently to catch people and bleed 'em dry.

So perhaps it would be an idea to go shop around. The smaller companies (at least here) tend to be alittle less blood thirsty with their prices and more friendlier/prompt with their service.

we used to get it for 1-2 euros a piece. u could try getting just a few pieces to try it out.

i have always reused electroporation cuvettes, and reused them...milliq water and 70% ethanol is sufficient as a wash. i generally squirt first with water, then with the ethanol, then again with water, dry and keep for the next round...

i do like viv, and every two month, i put all cuvettes in a bath of 0.5N NaOH for 1h to overnight and wash them then with water.
No contamination so far.
I throw them away when electric arc occurs twice with the same cuvette.