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PACE® vs PACE® 2.0: Advanced Formulation Genotyping Master Mixes from 3CR Bioscience

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PACE® vs PACE® 2.0: Advanced Formulation Genotyping Master Mixes from 3CR Bioscience

Precision, Affordability and Performance in SNP and InDel Genotyping

At 3CR Bioscience, we’re committed to making high-performance molecular biology tools accessible and affordable for researchers worldwide. Building on decades of experience in PCR genotyping chemistry, we continue to redefine what’s possible in high-throughput PCR and genotyping SNPs with precision and consistency.

Our flagship products — PACE® Genotyping Master Mix and the advanced PACE® 2.0 Genotyping Master Mix — deliver exceptional accuracy, flexibility, and cost efficiency for allele-specific PCR assays. Whether your workflow demands large-scale screening or robust performance from crude DNA samples, 3CR Bioscience provides the chemistry and genotyping services to support your goals.

PACE® Genotyping Master Mix: Proven, Cost-Effective Performance

The PACE® Genotyping Master Mix is a universal PCR mix designed for precision and consistency across all assay formats. It delivers high-quality fluorescent signal generation, minimal non-specific amplification, and reproducible results — all at approximately 50% of the cost of comparable competitor mixes.

Key Benefits of PACE® Master Mix:

  • Universal compatibility with PACE®, KASP™, and Amplifluor® assays
  • Scalable and adaptable — validated from 1 µL to full-volume reactions, supporting assay miniaturisation
  • Platform agnostic — compatible with 96-, 384-, 1536-well plates and Array Tape systems
  • High-throughput PCR ready — ideal for breeding programs, genetic mapping, and validation studies
  • Performs reliably even when the amount of DNA for PCR is limited
  • Cost-efficient — exceptional data quality at unmatched value

PACE® achieves this through a novel fluorescent reporting cassette that translates allele-specific PCR events into robust, machine-readable fluorescent signals. Its chemistry requires only unlabelled primers — no expensive probes — making it ideal for large-scale projects in plant, animal, and life-science genotyping.

PACE® 2.0 Genotyping Master Mix: Enhanced Performance for Challenging Samples

Developed in response to the needs of researchers working with crude DNA extracts and inhibitor-rich samples, PACE® 2.0 represents the next evolution of our patented genotyping chemistry. With an upgraded fluorescent cassette and optimised buffer system, PACE® 2.0 offers superior signal-to-noise ratios, tighter data clustering, and greater robustness than leading competitor products — while still costing around two-thirds as much.

Key Advancements in PACE® 2.0:

  • Enhanced fluorescent reporting system — cleaner, tighter genotype clusters
  • Superior signal-to-noise — exceptional clarity in endpoint and real-time modes
  • Inhibitor resistance — formulated to overcome PCR inhibition by polyphenols, polysaccharides, and other secondary metabolites common in plant and animal samples
  • Real-time capability — monitor amplification curves in real time or use for endpoint analysis
  • Crude DNA compatibility — eliminates the need for extensive nucleic acid purification, even with complex matrices
  • Reduced non-specific amplification — increased robustness with over-cycling
  • Universal assay compatibility — works seamlessly with PACE®, KASP™, and Amplifluor® designs
  • Compatible with automated pipetting systems and standard or touchdown PCR protocols for maximum workflow flexibility

PACE® 2.0 was specifically engineered for high-throughput PCR workflows using crude DNA, such as those encountered in agricultural genomics, breeding programs, and environmental genotyping. Even samples from oil palm, conifers, or polyphenol-rich crops yield clean, distinct genotype clusters without additional purification.

PACE® and PACE® 2.0: Flexibility and Compatibility

Both master mixes are supplied at 2× concentration and available in Low, Standard, High, or No ROX formulations for compatibility with all major qPCR instruments. Each batch undergoes rigorous QC and certification, with Certificates of Analysis downloadable from the 3CR Bioscience website.

PACE® and PACE® 2.0 integrate easily with automated pipetting platforms and support assay miniaturisation across 96-, 384-, and 1536-well formats. Researchers designing new assays can also benefit from 3CR’s free design and validation service. Both mixes are fully compatible with existing assay designs, allowing seamless migration or expansion of genotyping SNPs and InDel workflows.

When to Choose PACE® vs PACE® 2.0

ApplicationRecommended MixKey Benefit
Routine, high-throughput SNP or InDel genotypingPACE® Genotyping Master MixIndustry-leading value and reliability
Genotyping from crude or inhibitor-rich DNAPACE® 2.0 Genotyping Master MixInhibitor resistance and real-time performance
Maximum data quality and cluster separationPACE® 2.0Enhanced fluorescent reporting and signal-to-noise
Budget-driven large-scale screeningPACE®~50% of the cost of competitor mixes

Making Science Affordable

At 3CR Bioscience, our mission is simple — to make science affordable without compromise.
By combining innovation, performance, and cost efficiency, PACE® and PACE® 2.0 enable researchers to generate high-quality data at scale — whether for plant breeding, animal genetics, human research, or microbial typing.

In addition to our reagents, 3CR Bioscience offers expert genotyping services, assay design, and technical support for laboratories worldwide.

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PACE® vs PACE® 2.0: Advanced Formulation Genotyping Master Mixes from 3CR Bioscience
Compare PACE® and PACE® 2.0 to see which master mix delivers the performance, sensitivity, and value your genotyping workflow needs.
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MEET OUR TEAM

Steve Asquith Managing Director
Steve began his career in the Genetics Division of GlaxoSmithKline, as part of the team establishing GSK’s high-throughput core genotyping laboratory. Steve joined KBioscience when it was first founded in 2002 and was a key driver in taking the company from a small start-up to a multi-national service laboratory, quickly growing the company’s revenue to over $7.5M p.a. Following the acquisition of Kbioscience by LGC in 2011, Steve was appointed Global Director of Operations for LGC Genomics, responsible for over 100 staff in Europe and N. America, successfully elevating the genotyping products and service business. Steve held a crucial leadership role until he left in 2016. In 2017 Steve joined forces with John Holme to create 3CR Bioscience, a new company with a mission to deliver outstanding, customer-focused genotyping products with innovation and affordability at its core.
Dr. John Holme Technical Director
John joined KBioscience shortly after it was founded, in 2003, and became Head of Technical Development, building the company’s genotyping and DNA extraction product portfolio and service delivery until 2011 when it was acquired by LGC. Post-acquisition, John was appointed Head of Technical Group for LGC Genomics, in charge of all Research & Development and Technical Support activities for the company. In this role John continued to build on the high-quality products and services provided to the companies growing customer base. During the 19 years John has worked in commercial R&D, he has co-invented numerous highly successful products including PACE®, ProbeSure, KASP™, KlearKall, KlearGene, KlearAmp and KlearTaq™, creating breakthrough offerings in genotyping and extraction and generating huge revenues for the companies he has worked in. In 2017, he joined forces with Steve Asquith and started 3CR Bioscience. John is dedicated to developing outstanding, innovative genotyping products and providing the very best technical support to customers globally.
Dr. Nisha JainOperations Director
Nisha has been innovating since the start of her career at Geneform Technologies developing Iso-thermal Genotyping Technologies. Nisha joined KBioscience in 2008, as Senior R&D Scientist and key account Technical Support Scientist, developing KASP and Klearkall performance and coinventing two further versions of KASP. Nisha has more than 15 years’ experience working in molecular biology and genotyping technologies, with extensive experience in the areas of R&D, Quality Assurance and Customer Technical Support. She has technically assisted many giants of the industry with their protocol development and troubleshooting and continues to deliver high-quality support and guidance. In 2018, Nisha joined 3CR Bioscience as Operations Director where she continues to develop PACE and ProbeSure for an increasing range of applications, and to grow 3CR Bioscience’s new product pipeline. Nisha is dedicated to developing outstanding, innovative genotyping products and providing the very best technical support to customers globally.
Nazma Saffin General Manager
For 20 years Nazma Saffin has worked and gained extensive expertise within the genotyping sector. Working at Kbioscience and then LGC, she has held operational leadership posts responsible for manufacturing and laboratory services. With experience of ISO 9001 implementation, production scale up and LEAN operations, Nazma has successfully led highly profitable production departments. Joining 3CR Bioscience in 2022, Nazma is committed to delivering operational excellence.
Jon Curtis Non-Executive Chair
After 8 years in The Royal Air Force, Jon moved to the Imperial Cancer Research Fund where he pioneered the use of ultra high-throughput genomic automation, capable of 46,000 PCRs per hour. In the 1990’s Jon joined GlaxoSmithKline, implementing a high-throughput genomics platform into their drug discovery pipeline. Whilst there he also developed acoustic mixing into compound management, becoming the gold standard across pharma. Jon developed the world’s first commercially viable 1536-well PCR plates, automated thermal & laser plate-sealer, plus automated liquid-handling & tip washing tools to reduce waste and costs. In 2002 Jon co-founded KBioscience with Phil Robinson, utilising ultra high-throughput PCR instrumentation & a suite of automation tools to create the company’s SNPline robotic platform, with a capacity of 250,000 PCRs/day. The business was underpinned by their ground-breaking patented genotyping chemistry, KASP™, which has over 10,000 scientific papers to date. In November 2022 Jon joined 3CR Bioscience acting as an advisor bringing his commercial and scientific experience to the company.