Mycoplasma Screening

After numerous trials with different kits available on the market and negotiations with suppliers, the Solution Preparation Facility decided to outsource the Mycoplasma analyses to an external company: Eurofins Genomics.

Mycoplasmacheck tests are performed by a qPCR method developed by the provider and certifying the detection of a very wide range of Mycoplasma strains.

The choice of outsourcing to this company was confirmed by the prompt transmission of results reports and certificates of analysis, issued by an accredited organization, in the format required by certain scientific journals when submitting articles.

Users wishing to use this service must prepare their samples appropriately before transferring them to the Solution Preparation Facility, which will aliquot the media, send the samples to the service provider and store a duplicate at -20°C in case further analyses are required.

Attention: Users requiring the Mycoplasma analysis service for the first time are requested to contact the Solution Preparation Facility to have a user profile created for them on the online order form.

• Cell lines should be cultured in the absence of antibiotics and detergent for at least one week prior to collection of the test sample to avoid false negative results;
• At least 3 days must have elapsed since the last dilution of the culture medium. It is recommended that samples for Mycoplasma analysis be taken from cell cultures with 80% confluence;
• Cryopreserved cell lines should be cultured for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to collection of the sample for analysis.

Sample preparation procedure

• Samples should be prepared using pipette tips and RNase/DNase free tubes only. We recommend the materials in the list at the bottom of the page, which can be ordered from the SV Store through Catalysis/SciQuest;
• Users should provide 0.5 mL to 1mL samples of culture supernatants, along with an aliquot of the corresponding culture medium as a control, which may be tested if additional analyses are required;
• Users are asked to boil their samples at 95°C for 10 minutes. This step is crucial to denature DNA and make it available for subsequent analysis, as well as to destroy any potentially pathogenic biological agents present in the sample. Therefore, all BSL2 culture samples must be boiled BEFORE being taken out of a BSL2 laboratory.
• The request for analysis must be completed prior to sending the samples to the Service through the following online form:

>>Mycoplasmacheck ordering form<<

• Samples prepared according to the above procedure must be identified with the name indicated in the order;
• The samples and a copy of the order confirmation must be deposited in the freezer located in room SV 1836, before Friday noon (freezer -20°C Myco Test, 11th drawer).

Material recommended for sample preparation

All consumables below are in-stock at the SV Faculty Store and can be ordered through SciQuest/Catalysis.

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