Formation of layers of amphiphilic molecules

• US 10,416,117 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Reid, Stuart William, Reid, Terence Alan, Clarke, James Anthony, White, Steven Paul, Sanghera, Gurdial Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaur, Gurpreet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rosenwald, Steven E
• Application Number:
  US15/434,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20170363577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0421 electrophoretic flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0427 Electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6869 Methods for sequencing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3278 involving nanosized elements, e.g. nanogaps or nanoparticles nanopores G01N33/48721; magnetic beads G01N27/745
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/453 Cells therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48721 Investigating individual macromolecules, e.g. by translocation through nanopores Coulter counters in general G01N15/12; fabrication methods for nanoscale apertures B81B1/00; sequencing of nucleic acids C12Q1/68

Abstract

To form a layer separating two volumes of aqueous solution, there is used an apparatus comprising elements defining a chamber, the elements including a body of non-conductive material having formed therein at least one recess opening into the chamber, the recess containing an electrode. A pre-treatment coating of a hydrophobic fluid is applied to the body across the recess. Aqueous solution, having amphiphilic molecules added thereto, is flowed across the body to cover the recess so that aqueous solution is introduced into the recess from the chamber and a layer of the amphiphilic molecules forms across the recess separating a volume of aqueous solution introduced into the recess from the remaining volume of aqueous solution.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting a layer separating two volumes of aqueous solution, the apparatus comprising:

elements defining a chamber, the elements including a body of non-conductive material having formed therein at least one recess opening into the chamber; and

an electrode contained in the recess;

wherein an outer part of an internal surface of the recess is hydrophobic;

wherein an inner part of the internal surface of the recess, closer to the electrode than the outer part of the internal surface of the recess, is hydrophilic; and

wherein the body comprises an outermost layer formed of a hydrophobic material and an inner layer formed of a hydrophilic material, the recess extending through both the outermost layer and the inner layer, said outer part of the internal surface of the recess being a surface of the outermost layer, and said inner part of the internal surface of the recess being a surface of the inner layer.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein surfaces including either or both of (a) an outermost surface of the body around the recess, and (b) at least an outer part of an internal surface of the recess extending from the rim of the recess, are hydrophobic.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said outer part of the internal surface of the recess is a surface of the outermost layer.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said surfaces are modified by a fluorine species.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said surfaces are modified by a fluorine species by treatment with a fluorine plasma.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrode contained in the recess is provided on the base of the recess.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a substrate and at least one further layer attached to the substrate, the recess extending through the at least one further layer.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one further layer is:

polycarbonate;

poly-vinyl chloride;

polyester;

a thermal laminating film;

a photoresist;

or an ink.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride or a polymer.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the body has a conductive path extending from the electrode to a contact allowing connection to an electrical circuit.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the conductive path extends through the body to a contact disposed on the opposite side of the body from the recess.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the conductive path extends across a surface of the substrate under the at least one further layer.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrode has provided thereon a hydrophilic surface which repels a hydrophobic fluid whilst allowing ionic conduction from an aqueous solution to the electrode.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the hydrophilic surface is a surface of a protective material provided on the electrode.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the protective material is a covalently-attached hydrophilic species or a conductive polymer.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrode has a conductive polymer provided thereon.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a further electrode in the chamber outside said recess.

18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elements defining the chamber further include a cover extending over the body so that the chamber is a closed chamber.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the cover comprises at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein the inlet is configured for the introduction of an aqueous solution into the chamber and the outlet is configured to vent fluid displaced by any aqueous solution thus introduced.

20. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the internal surface of the recess has no openings capable of fluid communication.

21. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recess has a width of at most 500 μ

m.

22. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one recess is plural recesses.

23. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising amphiphilic molecules deposited on an internal surface of the chamber.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the amphiphilic molecules are lipids.

25. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a membrane protein deposited on an internal surface of the chamber.

26. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pre-treatment coating of a hydrophobic fluid on a surface of the body around the recess and/or on an internal surface of the recess.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the recess and the chamber contain aqueous solution.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a layer of amphiphilic molecules extending across the opening of the recess.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the layer of the amphiphilic molecules has an electrical resistance of at least 1GΩ

.

30. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the amphiphilic molecules are lipids.

31. An apparatus according to claim 28, the layer of amphiphilic molecules having a membrane protein inserted therein.