Automated Peptide Synthesizers

Laboratory automated peptide synthesizers typically belong to one of two categories: small scale, high throughput parallel and larger scale batch synthesizers.  Most small scale, high throughput parallel peptide synthesizers can utilize at most one to two hundred milligrams of resin in each reactor, but can process tens to hundreds of reactors simultaneously.  Many of these peptide synthesizers utilize X-Y robotics equipped with syringe pumps to precisely deliver amino acid and reagent solutions to individual reactors.

Batch peptide synthesizers utilize larger scale reactors, even up to 500 ml to 1000 ml, capable of handling up to a hundred grams of resin in one reactor.  These synthesizers typically utilize a series of valves and manifolds to deliver amino acids, reagents and wash solvents to each reactor.  Simple peptide instruments may have only one or two reactors, but more complex peptide instruments may have 6, 12, or even 24 reactors.  Many of these synthesizers rely on calibrated flow rates to deliver the appropriate volume of amino acid or reagent solution to the reaction vessel.  Some peptide machines, such as AAPPTec’s Focus peptide synthesizers, utilize measuring vessels to accurately measure out the solution being delivered.

Filtering to separate the peptide-resin from excess reagent and byproducts is an important process in solid phase peptide synthesis.  In most synthesizers, this is accomplished either by applying vacuum beneath the reactor frit or by applying inert gas pressure to the surface of the solution above the frit.  For swifter filtration, some peptide synthesizers use a combination of vacuum and gas pressure.  Other methodology for filtration has been applied in some commercial synthesizers.  The Triton synthesizer, from AAPPTec, utilizes centrifugation to rapidly drain fluid from its reactors.

Some synthesizers provide UV-monitoring of Fmoc deprotection which can be useful in preparing hydrophobic regions where peptide aggregation may make reactions slow.  Heating can greatly improve the yield and purity of “difficult” peptides and many peptide synthesizers allow heating during reactions.  Microwave heating is successfully utilized on some single channel synthesizers.  On parallel synthesizers where several reactors may require simultaneous heating, microwave heating has had limited practical use.  Conventional heating techniques are typically applied in these cases.

Commercially available synthesizers incorporate a large variety of designs and optional features.  The selection of an instrument depends on the requirements of its application.  The scale, the number of peptides to be made and the chemistry are all factors that must be considered.

Research to Production

AAPPTec manufactures automated synthesizers for every production scale from research (a few milligrams) to pilot-plant and production (multi-kilograms). Our latest peptide instruments include the Focus XC line of fully automated peptide synthesizers with heating capability and 1, 2, 4, or 6 reactors. Triton, our latest centrifugal peptide synthesizer, synthesizes up to 32 peptides simultaneously of different lengths in small quantities for research. Our other peptide synthesizers include the Apex 396 for high throughput synthesis of peptide libraries in convenient 96 well titer plates, and the Titan 357, the first split-combine combinatorial peptide synthesizer.

Producing Quality Peptides

Automated solid phase peptide synthesizers from AAPPTec are versatile, easy to use peptide instruments that produce high-quality peptides economically. AAPPTec produces peptide instruments suitable for many applications, including research scale, production scale, parallel and combinatorial peptide library synthesis.

Peptide Synthesizers: Background

Laboratory peptide synthesizers typically belong to one of two categories: small scale, high throughput parallel and larger scale batch peptide synthesizers. Most small scale, high throughput parallel synthesizers can utilize at most one to two hundred milligrams of resin in each reactor, but can process tens to hundreds of reactors simultaneously.  Many of these synthesizers utilize X-Y robotics equipped with syringe pumps to precisely deliver amino acid and reagent solutions to individual reactors.