Chemical amplification based on fluid partitioning

• US 20040180346A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Anderson, Brian L., Colston, Billy W. Jr., Elkin, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 7,041,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 473/34 attached in position 6, e.g. adenine
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6844 Nucleic acid amplification reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2531/113 PCR

Abstract

A system for nucleic acid amplification of a sample comprises partitioning the sample into partitioned sections and performing PCR on the partitioned sections of the sample. Another embodiment of the invention provides a system for nucleic acid amplification and detection of a sample comprising partitioning the sample into partitioned sections, performing PCR on the partitioned sections of the sample, and detecting and analyzing the partitioned sections of the sample.

Claims

1. An apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample, comprising:

means for partitioning said sample into partitioned sections, and

means for performing PCR on said partitioned sections of said sample.

2. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 including means for detection and analysis of said partitioned sections of said sample.

3. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 wherein said means for partitioning said sample into partitioned sections comprises a small orifice.

4. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 wherein said means for partitioning said sample into partitioned sections comprises means for injecting said sample through a small orifice producing microdroplets.

5. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 wherein said means for partitioning said sample into partitioned sections comprises means for injecting said sample and a PCR reagent through a small orifice.

6. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 wherein said means for performing PCR on said partitioned sections of said sample comprises a continuous tube for circulating said partitioned sections of said sample through a heater to perform PCR.

7. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 wherein said means for performing PCR on said partitioned sections of said sample comprises a continuous tube for circulating said partitioned sections of said sample through a heater and cooler to perform PCR.

8. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 wherein said means for performing PCR on said partitioned sections of said sample comprises a pump, a continuous tube, and a heater.

9. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 wherein said means for detection and analysis of said partitioned sections of said sample comprises a laser and a detector.

10. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 wherein said means for detection and analysis of said partitioned sections of said sample comprises a blue laser and a detector.

11. The apparatus for nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 1 wherein said means for partitioning said sample into partitioned sections comprises means for separating said sample into immiscible slugs.

12. A method of nucleic acid amplification of a sample, comprising the steps of:

partitioning said sample into partitioned sections, and

subjecting said partitioned sections of said sample to PCR.

13. The method of nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 12 including the steps of detecting and analyzing said partitioned sections of said sample.

14. The method of nucleic acid amplification of a sample of claim 12 wherein said step of partitioning said sample into partitioned sections comprises flowing said sample through a small orifice.