A battery-powered notebook thermal cycler for rapid multiplex real-time PCR analysis.

A compact, real-time PCR instrument was developed for rapid, multiplex analysis of nucleic acids in an inexpensive, portable format. The instrument consists of a notebook computer, two reaction modules with integrated optics for four-color fluorescence detection, batteries, and a battery-charging system. The instrument weighs 3.3 kg, measures 26 x 22 x 7.5 cm, and can run continuously on the internal batteries for 4 h. Independent control of the modules allows differing temperature profiles and detection schemes to be run simultaneously. Results are presented that demonstrate rapid (1) detection and identification of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus thuringensis spores and (2) characterization of a single nucleotide polymorphism for the hereditary hemochromatosis gene.