FAQ

Q1: How can I get free samples?
A1: ShineGene would be glad to provide some free samples to our clients only if you have a FedEx, DHL, TNT ,UPS account or other courier freight collectable account or agree to pre-pay the freight. What you need do is to tell us the Cat. No. and courier freight collectable account via email or fax, and ShineGene will arrange for shipment as soon as we can.

Q2:How can I get your details of products and price information?
A2: Please contact us via email or fax to tell us your requirement. ShineGene will reply to you as soon as possible, including all information such as product description and price quote. 

Q3:How can I place an order?
A3:
- for an order for services:
1. Please send us your inquiry of services in detail via email or fax.
2. ShineGene will reply to you per your inquiry including price and delivery time.
3. You need confirm our price or delivery time after you receive our feedback.
4. ShineGene will begin the service,as soon as we received your confirmation.
- for an order for products:
Please send us your purchase order with signature and company stamps by email or fax. You can also ask us to send you a proforma invoice for your order, and in order to do this, we need to know the following information for your order:
* Shipping information, including company name, address, phone number, fax number, 
destination airport or sea port, transportation method ( by courier, by air or by ocean liner).
* Product information, including product numbers, product name and quantity.
* Delivery time.
* Freight payment ( by collect or pre-pay )
* Forwarder's contact details ( in China) 

Q4: How will the products be sent to us?
A4: Normally, ShineGene use FedEx or UPS to ship our products. For international customers, delivery charge is based on the quantity and products to be shipped as per different cases. Please inquire for prices on International shipments. All ShineGene¡¯s biological products are stored and shipped frozen (-20¡ãC) in styrofoam boxes. The dry ice inside the box will be able to hold the product¡¯s temperature below -20¡ãC for 3 days at an ambient temperature of 25¡ãC. To avoid waste and protect environment, the styrofoam boxes should be recycled. 

Q5: What's the warranty of ShineGene¡¯s products?
A5: ShineGene warrant that all our products will meet the specification stated on the technical data sheet and agree to replace the product free of charge if it does not conform to the specifications. But your notice for replacement must be given within 30 days after receiving it. 

Q6: What's ShineGene¡¯s usual payment term for orders?
A6: Please be noted that we don't accept credit card. ShineGene only accept wire transfer ( T/ T) to our bank account after order confirmation. 
ShineGene have different payment terms for different customers. 
For a contracted customer, we grant payment against delivery; for a new customer, we need 100% prepayment; and for a regular one, we ask for 30% prepayment and 70% delivery against payment.
You will be informed of pay­ment information (bank address and account data) on each invoice. The invoice will be sent to you by email to save time and money. In order to shorten the delivery time, please fax or email us a copy of the wire transfer once you settle the payment, so our production will start after receiving the copy, and the delivery will be made after your payment arrival. 

Q7: How can I be your sole distributor? 
A7: If you can sell our products or services by USD5,000 to USD30,000 per month, you could be one of our distributor in your city or area; if you can sell our products by more than USD50,000 per month, you could be our sole distributor in the country. 

Q8:What is the advantage of working with SYBR Green I?  
A8:SYBR Green I is an inexpensive, universal dye which binds to all dsDNA. It can be easily used in combination with a simple primer pair to detect PCR products in Real-Time. This dye is mainly very attractive for researchers analysis lots of different genes. However it is important to do a good primer design to avoid primer dimers, which will also be detected by SYBR Gre en I.

Q9:What is the advantage of working with a probe system?  
A9:A probe system is always specific (except Amplifluor probes) and therefore does only detect the gene of interest. If you have a difficult to optimise PCR it will not show you any primer dimers or aspecific products.With a probe system it is also possible to distinguish between similar sequences with small differences like SNPs or mutations.In general, probe assays need less optimisation than SYBR Green I assays.

Q10:Is a probe assay more sensitive than a SYBR Green I assay?

A10:A probe assay and a SYBR Green I assay can be equally sensitive. In cases of difficult to optimise PCRs the SYBR Green I assay might be less beneficial as it shows the total fluorescent signal of primer dimers, aspecific product and wanted product.

Q11:Can I use a SYBR® Green I kit for a probe assay?

A11:This is not possible because the buffer for SYBR Green I kits and the buffer for probe kits are different. The kits for SYBR Green I applications contain special stabilizers to prevent the SYBR Green I from degradation and do differ in pH and salt concentration.

A12:How should the qPCR and RT qPCR kits be stored?

A12:All qPCR kits should be stored at ¨C20¡ãC and are guaranteed stable for 2 years. Mastermixes can also be stored at 4¡ãC for one month. One step RT qPCR kits should be stored at ¨C20¡ãC and are guaranteed stable for six months. Two step RT qPCR kits should be stored preferably at ¨C70¡ãC and are guaranteed stable for six months.

Q13:What is absolute quantitation?

A13:Absolute quantitation is a method in which unknown samples are quantitated by comparing them to a standard curve, based on absolute amounts of DNA.

Q14:What is relative quantitation?

A14:Relative quantitation is a method in which unknown samples are compared to reference samples to determine the increase or decrease of gene expression. The out come is presented as an index, not an absolute amount.

Q15:How should qPCR probes be stored?

A15:After dissolving qPCR probes they should be aliquot and stored at ¨C20¡ãC in the dark and undergo not more than 5 freeze-thaw cycles.

Q16:How many reactions can be done with one synthesis of Double-Dye Oligo?

A16:One batch of Double-Dye Oligo, produced in 0,2 ¦Ìmol scale, will give a final yield of minimal 10 mol. This is on average sufficient for 2000 qPCR reactions of 50 ¦Ìl.

Q17:How can a low signal to noise ratio for Molecular Beacons be explained?

A17:When designing Molecular Beacons, pay attention to the folding of the probe. It might fold into alternate conformations, which are not well quenched. Change the stem or loop sequence, or both to avoid this.If the salt concentration of the buffer is too low (below 1 mM MgCl2) the probe does also not fold correctly.Choose Eurogentec¡¯s Molecular Beacons and we will help you with the design.

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