3.4 Transfer GEMs

  1. Place a tube strip on ice.

  2. Press the eject button of the instrument and remove the chip.

  3. Open the chip holder. Fold the lid back until it clicks to expose the wells at 45 degrees. Be careful when opening the chip holder at 45 degrees to avoid wetting the gasket with oil or spilling oil.

  4. Visually compare the remaining volume in rows labeled 1-2. Abnormally high volume in one well relative to other wells may indicate a clog.

  5. Take a picture of the GEMs in the pipette tips and/or tube strips.

  6. Slowly aspirate 100 μl GEMs from the lowest points of the recovery wells in the top NO FILL row without creating a seal between the tips and the bottom of the wells.

  7. Withdraw pipette tips from the wells. GEMs should appear opaque and uniform across all channels. Excess Partitioning Oil (clear) in the pipette tips indicates a potential clog.

  8. Over the course of ~20 sec, dispense GEMs into the tube strip on ice with the pipette tips against the sidewalls of the tubes.

  9. It is recommended to start GEM incubation within 5 min. If multiple chips are run back-to-back, place the GEMs from the subsequent chips in separate thermal cyclers.