Parallel real-time PCR on a chip for genetic tug-of-war (gTOW) method

A microchip-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) device has been developed for the genetic tug-of-war (gTOW) method that provides quantitative data for research on biorobustness and systems biology. The device was constructed of a silicon glass chip, a temperature controlling Peltier element, and a microscope. A parallel real-time amplification process of target genes on the plasmids and the housekeeping genes in a model eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae were detected simultaneously, and the copy number of the target genes were estimated. The device provides unique quantitative data that can be used to augment understanding of the system-level properties of living cells.