Method for high throughput screening of nucleic acids
First Claim
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1. An automated method of nucleic acid sequencing, comprising the following steps:
- placing several flow cells on a reaction platform, each of the flow cells comprising a plurality of distinguishable reaction sites with a plurality of nucleic acid samples attached thereto;
introducing a processing reagent into the flow cells;
reacting the processing reagent with the plurality of nucleic acid samples in the flow cells for a processing period to perform sequencing reactions that produce fluorescent sequencing products;
transferring each of the flow cells from the reaction platform using a carrying device to a position within a viewing area of a detection subsystem configured for capturing optical images of the flow cells;
illuminating each of the flow cells in the viewing area of the detection subsystem; and
capturing an image of the fluorescent sequencing products in each of the flow cells that is illuminated in the viewing area, to determine nucleic acid sequences in the plurality of nucleic acid samples;
wherein sample preparation on the reaction platform and data extraction by the detection subsystem occur at different rates.
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Abstract
A scalable reaction and detection system for automated high throughput sequencing of nucleic acids involving a combination of chemical processes and observation processes independent of the chemistry processes. Discrete functional units may be configured in a manner that allows the system to interchangeably utilize different sequencing reaction components in conjunction with discrete apparatus components for optical image collection and/or analysis.
97 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automated method of nucleic acid sequencing, comprising the following steps:
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placing several flow cells on a reaction platform, each of the flow cells comprising a plurality of distinguishable reaction sites with a plurality of nucleic acid samples attached thereto; introducing a processing reagent into the flow cells; reacting the processing reagent with the plurality of nucleic acid samples in the flow cells for a processing period to perform sequencing reactions that produce fluorescent sequencing products; transferring each of the flow cells from the reaction platform using a carrying device to a position within a viewing area of a detection subsystem configured for capturing optical images of the flow cells; illuminating each of the flow cells in the viewing area of the detection subsystem; and capturing an image of the fluorescent sequencing products in each of the flow cells that is illuminated in the viewing area, to determine nucleic acid sequences in the plurality of nucleic acid samples; wherein sample preparation on the reaction platform and data extraction by the detection subsystem occur at different rates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An automated method of nucleic acid sequencing, comprising iteratively performing the following steps:
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processing a plurality of flow cells on a reaction platform such that nucleic acids immobilized in each of the plurality of flow cells are subject to biochemical sequencing reactions that produce fluorescent sequencing products; and carrying each of the flow cells individually from the reaction platform to a viewing area in a detection subsystem to capture an image of the fluorescent sequencing products; and
returning the flow cells from the detection subsystem back to the reaction platform for further processing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification