Tm Analysis System

The Tm Analysis System by Shimadzu is designed to enhance the development and quality of oligonucleotide therapeutics by efficiently analyzing the thermal stability (Tm analysis) of nucleic acids. Controlled by LabSolutions™ software, it ensures compliance with ER/ES-related regulatory requirements.

Understanding Tm Analysis

Tm analysis plays a crucial role in assessing the thermal stability and sequence integrity of nucleic acids. By applying heat to double-stranded nucleic acids, the system measures changes in absorbance (melting curve) as the strands dissociate into single strands with increasing temperature. The melting temperature (Tm value) is identified as the point where the mole fractions of single and double strands are equal.

System Components

The Tm Analysis System comprises:

• UV-Vis Spectrophotometer: Provides accurate absorbance measurements.
• TMSPC™-8i 8-Cell Thermoelectrically Temperature-Controlled Cell Holder: Ensures precise temperature regulation during analysis.
• LabSolutions UV-Vis Tm Software: Facilitates automated Tm value determination using average or derivative methods.

This integrated setup delivers high data integrity, especially when linked to a LabSolutions DB/CS system, renowned for its extensive application across various analytical instruments.

Key Features

• Reliable Data Integrity: The system’s configuration ensures consistent and accurate data, crucial for high-quality analysis.
• Functionality for Diverse Needs: The 8-cell micro multi-cell allows simultaneous measurement of eight samples under identical conditions. Two models are available: one with a 10 mm optical path length (minimum 100 μL sample volume) for high-sensitivity measurements, and another with a 1 mm optical path length (minimum 10 μL sample volume) for micro-quantities of expensive samples. An innovative sealing method prevents sample evaporation, enabling reliable measurements even at high melting temperatures.
• Efficient Automated Workflow: LabSolutions UV-Vis Tm software streamlines the entire process—from measurement to analysis—through an intuitive menu. It automates steps such as annealing, background correction, and Tm value calculation, enhancing overall efficiency.
• Real-Time Data Transfer and Thermodynamic Analysis: The software enables real-time transfer of temperature, absorbance, and time data to Excel®, facilitating straightforward analysis of thermodynamic properties like Gibbs free energy, entropy, and enthalpy.

Applications

The Tm Analysis System is instrumental in:

• Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Development: Accelerates the development process and enhances therapeutic quality by providing precise thermal stability data.
• Nucleic Acid Sequence Verification: Ensures sequence integrity through accurate Tm value determination.
• Thermodynamic Property Analysis: Assists in evaluating drug activity levels and other thermodynamic characteristics.

For comprehensive details on the Tm Analysis System and its features, please visit the official Shimadzu website.