Thermo Scientific™ SpeciMAX™ Saliva Collection Kit

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The Thermo Scientific SpeciMAX Saliva Collection Kit provides a simple method for the collection of raw (aka plain, whole) saliva. The kit comes with an easy-to-use funnel, an automation friendly saliva collection tube, and a screw cap to secure the sample after collection. Unlike 15 and 50 mL conical tubes, the SpeciMAX saliva collection tube integrates easily into automatic processing and analysis workflows that are part of high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 surveillance research programs. Eliminate the need for messy manual pipetting of saliva from bulky conical tubes and collect saliva directly into automation-sized SpeciMAX tubes. Each SpeciMAX kit is individually packaged in single-use peel pouches enabling easy distribution of devices for high-throughput saliva collection.

Features of the SpeciMAX Saliva Collection Kit include:
• Individual single-use peel pouch to protect the kit
• Non-invasive, simple, quick 1-mL saliva self-collection
• Streamlined sample accessioning with unique 1D serial barcodes
• Standard-sized cap compatible with commercial decapper systems
• Saliva collection tube that fits most automation liquid handler racks
• Optimized automation scripts downloadable for KingFisher Flex and KingFisher DuoPrime instruments

Saliva is emerging as a suitable biofluid for SARS-CoV-2 virus
Humans produce an average of 1-2 L of saliva per day. Saliva has been a convenient source of DNA for genetic carrier analysis, ancenstry and lifestyle testing, and pharmacogenomics. Recently, the oral cavity, including saliva, has been shown to be a source of SARS-CoV-2 virus and may play a direct role in viral transmission (Huang, N., et al. Nat. Med. (2021); https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01296-8). For SARS-CoV-2 virus studies, the use of saliva makes sample collection easier and does not require direct contact with medical professionals, which reduces the risk of infectious disease transmission.

Easy to use
Each SpeciMAX saliva collection kit comes ready to use in individually packaged easy-peel blister pouches. Saliva donor user instructions are printed directly on the lid of each blister pack for maximum convenience. To use the SpeciMAX Saliva Collection Kit, the saliva donor follows four easy steps:
1. Attach the funnel to the tube
2. Fill until saliva (not including bubbles) is between the 1.0 and 2.0 lines
3. Remove and discard the funnel
4. Attach the cap and twist to close
(See figure below for pictorial instructions.)

For best results, saliva donors should be instructed to refrain from eating, drinking, using tobacco products, or chewing gum for at least 30 minutes for best results. Saliva donors should allow saliva to pool in their mouths and then drool the saliva into the top of the funnel affixed to the saliva collection device. Consider the liquid portion of the saliva, not the bubbles, when determining if enough saliva has been collected.

Laboratory- and automation-friendly cost-saving features
SpeciMAX Saliva Collection kits can streamline the process from collection to automation systems. For example, if a manual transfer of the raw saliva into an automation friendly tube requires 30 seconds to process, it would take about 8 hours to prepare the 1000 samples for the molecular analysis workflow. By eliminating manual saliva transfers with the SpeciMAX kits that fit directly into your automation sample racks, laboratory staff will be free to perform higher value or higher complexity tasks such as analyses and results generation.

The SpeciMAX saliva collection tube integrates seamlessly into high-throughput laboratory workflows using either the barcodes provided for each collection tube or user-created labels as desired. The small-sized SpeciMAX saliva collection tube makes storage of large numbers of samples in 4°C spaces easy to manage. Labs can fit up to 6X more SpeciMAX tubes in the same space required to store bulky 50 mL conical tubes, making laboratory logistics easier to manage and preserving valuable laboratory space.

Compatible with RNA isolation or direct to PCR workflows
Raw saliva offers labs the ability to flex between molecular biology workflows. Users can extract nucleic acid from raw saliva using specialized sample preparation reagents such as the MagMAX Viral/Pathogen total nucleic acid isolation kit (Cat. No. A48383R). Additional MagMAX reagents, such as the MagMAX DNA Multi-Sample Ultra 2.0 (A36570), MagMAX Saliva gDNA Isolation (A39060), and MagMAX mirVana Total RNA Isolation (A27828) kits are already equipped with optimized protocols and KingFisher magnetic particle handler automation scripts. So integrating the SpeciMAX Saliva Collection kit with appropriate MagMAX sample preparation kits for various molecular biology studies is already enabled. The SpeciMAX Saliva Collection Kit and MagMAX sample prep purified nucleic acid can be used in multiple downstream applications such as genomic analysis or viral analysis using TaqMan gene expression solutions.

For faster results, where sensitivity of detection is not as critical for your application, raw saliva can be used in direct-to-PCR workflows where saliva is used directly in RT-PCR such as with the TaqCheck SARS-CoV-2 Fast PCR Assay Kit (A50914). Using the TaqCheck SARS-CoV-2 Fast PCR Assay workflows with SpeciMAX Saliva Collection kits allows users to bypass nucleic acid extraction for faster turnaround time from raw saliva to results.