MARS--multiple automated robotic synthesizer for continuous flow of peptides.

We have designed and constructed a multiple automated robotic synthesizer, the MARS. Its novel timing procedure for handling multiple synthetic tasks eliminates unnecessary respite time by keeping the robotic arm in continuous operation. Polypropylene syringes equipped at the bottom with polypropylene frits serve as physically independent reaction vessels. All operations are performed by the robotic arm, which is equipped with a specially designed gripper to hold a syringe and to aspirate and dispense liquid. Typically, the MARS synthesizes concurrently 5 to 15 peptides of different length, and once one peptide is finished it automatically starts the synthesis of the next peptide in the queue, assuring a continuous flow of peptides.