This bundle includes all the labware and consumables you need to follow the Bird Sexing Workflow, including the DNA Extraction from Feathers and Bird Sexing PCR protocols.

There is a choice of primer mix depending on the species of bird you are trying to sex. More details can be found on the product page for Bird Sexing Primer Mixes.

Note: The bundle does not include Bento Lab. To use this bundle, you will need access to an entry Bento Lab or similar equipment (i.e. a mini-centrifuge, a PCR thermocycler, a gel electrophoresis unit and a blue-light transilluminator).

You will also need a heat source to melt agarose for gel electrophoresis (e.g. a microwave, rice cooker or hot plate), and 1 L of distilled or deionised water to make up 0.5x TBE buffer from the 10X TBE buffer provided. The protocols and reagent quantities are optimised for Bento Lab, but may be adapted.

Bundle content

Reagents

• HotSHOT DNA Extraction Kit (400 reactions)
• 5X FIREPol® Master Mix Ready to Load (400 μl; 100 reactions)
• PCR grade water (2 ml; 200 reactions)
• Bird Sexing Primer Mix – Primer Set 1 (CHD1F/CHD1R)(200 reactions)
• Bird Sexing Primer Mix – Primer Set 2 (2550F/2718R)(200 reactions)
• Bird Sexing Primer Mix – Primer Set 3 (P0/P2/P8)(200 reactions)
• Agarose tablets (10 tablets)
• GelGreen® DNA Stain (100 μl)
• 10X TBE buffer (50 ml)
• 100 bp DNA Ladder (200 μl)

Consumables

• 0.2 ml PCR tubes (100 tubes)
• 2-200 μl pipette tips (4 boxes)
• Nitrile gloves (20)
• Scalpels (10)

Accessory Equipment

• 2-20 μl adjustable pipette
• 20-200 μl adjustable pipette
• 200 mL sharps bin
• 250 mL beaker

How many reactions can I do?

The bundle contains all of the starting materials that you will need to analyse bird DNA from feather or blood samples.

You can analyse up to 48 samples with the materials included. Many of the reagents are included in excess, so you can restock key reagents to process more samples. The accessory equipment can be used for future work.

Double the kit size: To extend the use of the bundle to 96 reactions, restock by adding the following key components:

• 5X HOT FIREPol® Blend Master Mix Ready to Load (400 μl)
• 2-200 μl pipette tips (3 boxes)