How do I prevent ConA beads from becoming sticky?

There are several steps you can take to help reduce ConA bead clumping and precipitation. 

• Do NOT let ConA beads dry out. Avoid disturbing beads with pipette while on magnet.
• Do NOT rotate or invert tubes. Rotation causes ConA beads to stick to tube sides and dry out, reducing yields. Use a nutator for incubations and elevate tube caps.
  • Note: if accidental inversion occurs, quick spine tubes immediately to collect material.
• Be careful when pipetting very sticky beads, as they can stick to the inside of pipette tips and cause sample loss. In cases with excessive bead clumping, gently vortexing is preferred.
• Start with high-quality cells, confirmed using our quality control checks. Increased cell lysis can cause ConA beads to become more clumpy, reducing yields.