TaqMan instrument

A similar technology relies on hydrolysis probes, namely, Taqman chemistry. Two probes are designed, one a perfect match to the normal allele and one to the mutant or variant allele. In Taqman chemistry, probes are released from quenching when the Taq polymerase degrades the probe, releasing the fluorophore into solution. This technology was developed from Applied Biosystems (Foster City, California) and is compatible with the 7900 real-time instrument (Applied Biosystems). Taqman chemistry also is developed easily by individual laboratories [7]. 

TaqMan assays are commercially available for many SNPs and can be designed on demand by Applied Biosystems. The method requires a real-time PCR instrument or a fluorescent plate reader to measure the fluorescence of the two dyes at the end of the PCR reaction. 

Other instruments may be employed, like the ABI Prism 7700 Sequence Detector, or the TaqMan LS-50B PCR Detection System. Similar results should be obtained with any fluorescent plate reader that is compatible with the excitation and emission reqnirements of the fluorophores on the probes. 

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