Bio-Rad EXQuest Spot Cutter - Manual (Page 160)

Matchsets
5-9
If you only want to perform gel selection and spot detection and do not want to create
a MatchSet at this time, check the Disable this step box. If you do not want to Match
Gels at this time you can also check the Disable this step box for Step 4.
5.2 Selecting the Master
When you first create a MatchSet, you need to select one of the images to serve as the
template for the MatchSet Master.
The MatchSet Master is a synthetic image that contains the spot data from all the gels
in the MatchSet. When you select a gel to serve as the Master template, a copy of that
Gaussian image is created and designated the Master. You then match the spots in the
remaining gels with those in the Master, and add the unique spots in those gels to the
Master.
Highlight the gel in the member field you have selected to serve as the Master
template for the MatchSet Master. The Master button is activated and the Master icon
appears to the left of the Master gel.
Select the gel with the greatest number of spots and the least streaking as your Master.
Choosing the gel with the most spots as the template minimizes the number of spots
that you will need to add from the remaining gels.
• Representative Gel. The MatchSet Master is a representation of all the data in
your MatchSet and is often used in reports. Therefore, you may not want to use
an atypical gel as a template, even if it has the most spots. In this case, we suggest
that you choose the most representative gel in your biological system.
• Control Gel. Choose a control gel as the MatchSet Master so that it can be
included in every experiment you plan to analyze and used as the Master in every
MatchSet. This makes it easier to compare results between different experiments.
• Spot Quality. Editing the MatchSet Master and matching other gels to it are
easier when the Master consists of high quality spots.
• Cybergel. If you are creating a cybergel Master from gels with different pH
gradients, it may be easiest to add spots from each gel in sequence (i.e., use the
gel with the lowest pH as the template). See 5.6, Cybergels.