System and method for manipulating magnetically responsive particles fluid samples to collect DNA or RNA from a sample
First Claim
1. A system for manipulating magnetically responsive particles having nucleic acid molecules bound thereto and being in a solution contained in at least one tube, said system comprising:
- a tube receiver having at least one tube opening adapted to receive said tube therein;
at least one first magnet;
a magnet moving device, adapted to selectively move said first magnet between a first location with respect to said tube to attract said magnetically responsive particles toward an inner wall of said tube, and a second location with respect to said tube to allow said magnetically responsive particles to be suspended in said solution; and
a second magnet, adapted to apply a magnetic field to said magnetically responsive particles when said first magnet is positioned at said second location, to remove a magnetization imposed on said magnetically responsive particles by said first magnet.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for manipulating magnetically responsive particles in a solution to separate nucleic acid molecules from cell components in a cell solution. The system and method employ a device capable of receiving a plurality of tubes, each of which contain respective sample and magnetically responsive particles. The device includes heating and cooling devices to facilitate a lysing step to release the nucleic acid molecules from the cells in the cell solution. The device further includes moveable magnets which can be moved proximate to and away from the tube to hold the magnetically responsive particles to which the nucleic acid molecules become bound, so that the molecule-bound particles can be separated from the remainder of the solution, and washed as appropriate. The system also employs an electromagnet which is capable of demagnetizing the particles to allow the particles to freely mix with solution, such as elution solutions which are used to unbind the molecules from the particles.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for manipulating magnetically responsive particles having nucleic acid molecules bound thereto and being in a solution contained in at least one tube, said system comprising:
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a tube receiver having at least one tube opening adapted to receive said tube therein;
at least one first magnet;
a magnet moving device, adapted to selectively move said first magnet between a first location with respect to said tube to attract said magnetically responsive particles toward an inner wall of said tube, and a second location with respect to said tube to allow said magnetically responsive particles to be suspended in said solution; and
a second magnet, adapted to apply a magnetic field to said magnetically responsive particles when said first magnet is positioned at said second location, to remove a magnetization imposed on said magnetically responsive particles by said first magnet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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16. A method for manipulating magnetically responsive particles having nucleic acid molecules bound thereto and being in a solution contained in at least one tube, said method comprising:
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receiving said tube in a tube receiving opening of a tube receiver;
selectively moving a first magnet to a first location with respect to said tube to attract said magnetically responsive particles toward an inner wall of said tube, and to a second location with respect to said tube to allow said magnetically responsive particles to be suspended in said solution; and
applying a magnetic field to said magnetically responsive particles when said first magnet is positioned at said second location, to substantially remove a magnetization imposed on said magnetically responsive particles by said first magnet.
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Specification