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Bullet Blender 5E Gold+

Standard Operating Protocol (SOP)

Written 20250506 by Sam White.

Overview

From the manufacturer: "The Bullet Blender is a high-speed homogenizer that uses beads to disrupt cells and tissues. The Bullet Blender is not a centrifuge, but it does use centrifugal force to agitate the samples. The Bullet Blender is designed for use with 1.5mL, 2.0mL, and 5mL tubes. The Bullet Blender is not designed for use with glass or metal tubes."

This SOP provides a general overview of the Bullet Blender, including safety information, personal protective equipment (PPE), and specific hazards. Please refer to the assay-specific protocols for detailed instructions on how to use the Bullet Blender for specific applications.

Reagents:

  • Beads (various sizes and materials)
  • Dry ice or liquid nitrogen (for cooling)
  • Buffer (as per your protocol)

Specific Hazards:

  • Dry ice and liquid nitrogen are cryogenic materials and can cause frostbite. Use caution when handling.
  • Beads can be hazardous if inhaled or ingested. Use appropriate PPE and work in a fume hood if necessary.
  • The Bullet Blender is a high-speed device and can cause injury if not used properly. Follow all safety instructions provided by the manufacturer.
  • The Bullet Blender is loud and can cause hearing damage if used without ear protection for extended periods. Use ear protection if necessary.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

REQUIRED: - Gloves

OPTIONAL: - Lab coat - Ear protection (if necessary)

General guidelines:

MANUFACTURER'S PROTOCOLS

Review the manufacturer's various information before using

  • Recommended protocols for various tissue types (NextAdvance website). Unsurprisingly, there aren't any protocols for oyster tissues, however we can probably follow any protocol for any soft tissues listed.

  • Bullet Blender usage guide (PDF). This is a nice general overview of the basics of using a Bullet Blender, including buffer/bead/sample ratios, types of beads and how they differ, different types of tissues, tissue preparation, etc.

  • Bullet Blender 5E Gold+ manual (PDF). The manual for the machine. Contains machine-specific instructions on how to use the machine, including tube requirements.

TUBES

The machine is designed to use 5.0mL tubes.

Use of 1.5mL or 2.0 mL tubes requires adapters. Adapters are stored next to the machine.

All tubes must be of the SafeLock variety (Eppendorf) or GATOR tubes from NextAdvance (the machine's manufacturer).

MACHINE USAGE

  • Should be pre-cooled (and cooled during a run) using dry ice or liquid nitrogen. The machine holds ~2.5lbs of dry ice. This will last for an entire day. I have not tried cooling with liquid nitrogen yet.

  • A variety of beads are available (sizes and materials). These are stored next to the machine. Review the recommended protocols from NextAdvance (linked above) to determine appropriate bead sizes/combinations for the type of tissues you're working with.

  • IT IS LOUD! Usage does not require ear protection, but if we are going to be using regularly while others are also in FTR 213, we might want to consider relocating it to FTR 228 where it's less likely to disturb people.

  • Although it's not a centrifuge, it is still recommend to "balance" it by having tubes equally spaced across from each other. Additionally, any "blanks" should still be loaded with an equal volume which matches your samples.