Automated parallel capillary electrophoresis system with hydrodynamic sample injection
First Claim
1. A capillary zone electrophoresis subsystem configured to cooperate with a light source and a light detector to detect migrating samples, said subsystem comprising:
- a fluid container;
a plurality of capillary tubes, each capillary tube having a first end and a second end, the first ends being arranged to receive samples thereinto and the second ends terminating at a first level in the fluid container;
a power supply configured to apply a voltage across the first and second ends of the capillary tubes;
a pump connected to said fluid container via a pump conduit, said pump configured to introduce a liquid into the container when said pump conduit is open and said pump is operating;
a vacuum device connected to said fluid container via a vacuum conduit entering said fluid container at a second level higher than said first level, said vacuum device configured to cause a negative pressure in said container, when said pump conduit is closed and said container is sealed;
a gas release valve connected to said container and configured to vent a gas in the container when said gas release valve is opened; and
a drain valve connected to said container and configured to drain a liquid in said container, when said drain valve is open.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated capillary zone electrophoretic system is disclosed. The system employs a capillary cartridge having a plurality of capillary tubes. The cartridge has a first array of capillary ends projecting from one side of a plate. The first array of capillary ends are spaced apart in substantially the same manner as the wells of a microtitre tray of standard size. This allows one to simultaneously perform capillary electrophoresis on samples present in each of the wells of the tray. The system includes a stacked, dual carrousel arrangement to eliminate cross-contamination resulting from reuse of the same buffer tray on consecutive executions from electrophoresis. The system also has a container connected to the detection end of the capillaries. The container is provided with valving which facilitate cleaning the capillaries, loading buffer into the capillaries, introducing samples to be electrophoresced into the capillaries, and performing capillary zone electrophoresis on the thus introduced samples.
45 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A capillary zone electrophoresis subsystem configured to cooperate with a light source and a light detector to detect migrating samples, said subsystem comprising:
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a fluid container;
a plurality of capillary tubes, each capillary tube having a first end and a second end, the first ends being arranged to receive samples thereinto and the second ends terminating at a first level in the fluid container;
a power supply configured to apply a voltage across the first and second ends of the capillary tubes;
a pump connected to said fluid container via a pump conduit, said pump configured to introduce a liquid into the container when said pump conduit is open and said pump is operating;
a vacuum device connected to said fluid container via a vacuum conduit entering said fluid container at a second level higher than said first level, said vacuum device configured to cause a negative pressure in said container, when said pump conduit is closed and said container is sealed;
a gas release valve connected to said container and configured to vent a gas in the container when said gas release valve is opened; and
a drain valve connected to said container and configured to drain a liquid in said container, when said drain valve is open. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A capillary zone electrophoresis subsystem configured to cooperate with a light source and a light detector to detect migrating samples, said subsystem comprising:
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a fluid container;
a plurality of capillary tubes, each capillary tube having a first end and a second end, the first ends being arranged to receive samples thereinto and the second ends terminating at a first level in the fluid container;
a power supply configured to apply a voltage across the first and second ends of the capillary tubes;
a pump connected to said fluid container via a pump conduit, said pump configured to introduce a liquid into the container when said pump conduit is open and said pump is operating; and
a vacuum device connected to said fluid container via a vacuum conduit entering said fluid container at a second level higher than said first level, said vacuum device configured to cause a negative pressure in said container, when said pump conduit is closed and said container is sealed, wherein the vacuum device and the pump are separate devices. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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15. A method for capillary zone electrophoresis on a plurality of samples, said method comprising:
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providing a fluid container;
providing a plurality of capillary tubes, each capillary tube having a first end and a second end, the first ends being arranged to receive samples thereinto and the second ends terminating at a first level in the fluid container;
introducing a first liquid into said fluid container to a height at least as high as said first level;
applying a negative pressure to said capillary second ends to hydrodynamically introduce a sample to be electrophoresced into each of said capillary first ends, wherein the step of applying a negative pressure is performed by a device distinct from that used for the step of introducing a first liquid; and
applying a voltage differential between said capillary first ends and said capillary second ends to cause said samples to migrate towards said capillary second ends through electro-osmotic flow.
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Specification