Reaction Tubes

What are Reaction Tubes?

Reaction tubes are polypropylene (PP) single-use or low-retention microcentrifuge and PCR tubes used as the primary vessel for molecular biology reactions—PCR amplification, reverse transcription, restriction digestion, ligation, nucleic acid precipitation, protein extraction, and centrifugation of microvolume samples. Reaction tube quality directly affects PCR sensitivity, sample recovery, and contamination risk. Choose PCR-clean or PCR-grade tubes—certified free of DNA, DNase, RNase, and PCR inhibitors—for any molecular biology reaction where contamination would invalidate the result.

What you will find:

• Globe Scientific PS reaction tubes provide reliable compatibility with Sysmex® coagulation analyzers.

• Microcentrifuge reaction tubes (0.5 mL, 1.5 mL, 2.0 mL sizes)

• Conical-bottom polypropylene tubes for efficient pellet formation

• Snap-cap reaction tubes for quick, single-hand operation

• Screw-cap tubes for secure long-term sample storage

• PCR-clean and DNase/RNase-free reaction tubes

• Graduated tubes with measurement markings for accuracy

• High-temperature resistant tubes for centrifugation and incubation

• Low-retention tubes for improved sample recovery

• Sterile reaction tubes for sensitive molecular workflows

• General-purpose laboratory micro reaction vessels

How to Choose Reaction Tubes

Volume and Format: 0.2 mL vs. 0.5 mL vs. 1.5/2.0 mL
0.2 mL thin-wall tubes and strip tubes are the standard PCR format; consistent wall thickness (≤0.2 mm) ensures efficient heat transfer between the thermal cycler block and the sample. 0.5 mL tubes are used for reactions generating small volumes that benefit from a snap-cap format. 1.5 mL and 2.0 mL hinged-lid tubes are the universal format for sample prep, restriction digests, ligation, protein assays, centrifugation, and short-term sample storage.

Purity Grade: Standard vs. PCR-Clean vs. Certified RNase/DNase-Free
Standard polypropylene tubes are adequate for general sample storage and centrifugation. PCR-clean tubes are certified free of DNA, DNase, RNase, and PCR inhibitors per lot testing — required for any PCR, RT-PCR, or sequencing preparation workflow. For RNA work, additionally confirm RNase-free certification. Eppendorf Safe-Lock Tubes (PCR clean grade) carry a two-layer resealable packaging system that maintains purity until the point of use.

Low-Retention vs. Standard Polypropylene
Low-retention PP is treated to reduce protein and nucleic acid adsorption to the tube wall. For reactions using <50 µL of a dilute nucleic acid or protein sample, low-retention tubes can recover 15–30% more material than standard PP by reducing wall-adsorption losses. Use low-retention tubes for single-cell, low-copy-number, or precious-sample workflows.

Hinged Lid (Safe-Lock) vs. Snap-Cap
Hinged-lid tubes (Eppendorf Safe-Lock style) have a locking latch that prevents accidental opening during centrifugation and vortexing, retaining samples at forces up to 21,300 × g. Standard snap-cap tubes may open at high g-forces, causing sample loss and cross-contamination. Choose Safe-Lock format for any step involving high-speed centrifugation or vigorous mixing.

Color Coding
Color-coded reaction tubes (natural/clear, yellow, red, blue, green) improve sample tracking at the bench and reduce the risk of mix-ups in multi-sample workflows. NEST Scientific offers colored tube collections. Confirm that the colorant does not interfere with spectrophotometric measurements (OD at 260/280 nm) if measuring nucleic acid concentration directly in the tube using a microvolume spectrophotometer.

Specifications Context

NEST Scientific 1.5 mL and 2.0 mL tubes are carried by MBP and provide an ISO 9001:2015–certified alternative at cost-competitive pricing for high-volume labs. Reaction tubes are available from MBP in bulk pack sizes of 500 and 1,000 tubes for 1.5 mL and 2.0 mL formats, and trays of 1,000 for 0.2 mL PCR formats.
 

For the right selection based on volume, sterility, or application type, the MBP team can help match the ideal reaction tube to your workflow requirements.