Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Analyzer – structured indicator – or manipulative laboratory... – Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
Patent
1997-01-17
1999-03-16
Le, Long V.
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Analyzer, structured indicator, or manipulative laboratory...
Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
422 63, 422 67, 422104, 436 43, 436 46, 436 48, 436 49, G01N 3500, G01N 33543, C12Q 168
Patent
active
058825959
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a system for processing biomolecules, particularly in DNA sequencing.
Laboratory processes involving nucleic acid analyses are nowadays common and are often performed as a routine. Such processes include inter alia hybridization and enzymatic reactions. Often a solid phase is used for immobilization of one component of an interaction. In many cases magnetic beads have been used as the solid phase due to the simplified separation of such a solid phase. Simultaneous handling of a large number of samples has, however, still been a problem.
Our international patent application with publication number WO 94/11529 discloses a solid phase technique for nucleic acid analysis which highly facilitates the simultaneous processing of a large number of samples. This technique is based on the use of a "multi-peg" device, preferably in the form of a comb element, where each peg or tooth forms a separate solid phase member. The combs are designed to be introduced with their teeth into specially designed well plates or strips, the wells of which contain the necessary reagents.
The present invention relates to a complete processing system based on such comb and well members and comprising components specially designed for cooperation therewith, which system further facilitates the performance of nucleic acid analyses as well as other types of biomolecular interactions or analyses and makes possible the simultaneous handling and processing of a large number of samples. Such a system has the features given in the claims and is described in more detail below with regard to a non-limiting embodiment designed for nucleic acid analysis.
Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a front view of a carrier comb;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the comb in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an assembly of eight combs shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a top view of one type of well plate;
FIG. 5 is a top view of another type of well plate;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the well plates shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively;
FIG. 7 is a top view, with parts broken away, of a processing unit;
FIG. 8 is a side view of the processing unit in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is another side view of the processing unit in FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a sectional view through A--A in FIG. 7;
FIG. 11 is a top view of a comb holder;
FIG. 12 is a sectional view through A--A in FIG. 11 and a lid member;
FIG. 13 is a top view of a well plate holder; and
FIG. 14 is a side view of the well plate holder in FIG. 13.
FIG. 15 is a top view of a positioning module.
The processing system shown in the figures basically comprises a carrier comb 10 (FIG. 1), two types of well plates 20 and 30 (FIGS. 4 and 5), a processing unit 40 (FIGS. 7 to 10) and a comb holder 60 (FIGS. 11 and 12). Also included in the illustrated system is a well plate holder 80 (FIGS. 13 and 14) and a positioning module (FIG. 15).
The flat comb 10 has eight teeth 11 adapted to be received in wells 21 and wells 31 of well plate 30, respectively. Comb 10 is further provided with coupling means, here in the form of two cylindrical protrusions 12 with open bottoms and a tip with reduced diameter which will fit into the open bottom of an aligned comb 10. Thereby several combs may be snapped together as illustrated in FIG. 3, which shows an assembly of eight combs 10. A top flange 13 is provided on comb 10 for labelling purposes, such as by optically readable bar codes. Each side edge of the comb 10 has a step portion 14 to permit the comb to be held in comb holder 60 as will be described below.
Well plate 20 has, in the illustrated case, eight rows of wells 21, each row of which has two wells. Each well 21, which may be dimensioned to hold, e.g., a liquid volume of about 100 .mu.l, is designed to receive four comb teeth 11 and is therefore hereinafter sometimes referred to as "four teeth well". Similarly, well plate 30 has eigth well rows, each row having eight wells 31 designed to receive a single well comb tooth 11, and well type 31 is therefore hereinafter sometimes referred to as "one tooth well
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Le Long V.
Pharmacia Biotech AB
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