Electrophoresis gels with incorporated indicia

• US 20040195102A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bio-Rad Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bio-Rad Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Gueffroy, Donald E., Panattoni, Cory M., Provost, Roger S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,986,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/465
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44747 Composition of gel or of carrier mixture

Abstract

An electrophoresis gel is prepared with indicia incorporated into the gel itself rather than on a label or backing that is adhered to the gel. According to one method, the indicia are applied by first coating a solid surface that will be used as one internal surface of a gel mold with a solution of a water-permeable polymer, allowing the coating to dry, imprinting indicia in ink on the dry coating, and then forming the gel over the coating. In a variation on this method, the indicia are applied to a sheet which is then placed against the mold surface, the sheet being either a liner that is separable from the gel yet coated with the polymer or a sheet of the polymer itself. Alternatively, the indicia are printed directly on the mold surface without first coating the surface. This is achieved by using as a printing composition a mixture of an ink and a solution of a water-permeable polymer, then forming the gel over the imprinted indicia.

Claims

1. A method for forming an electrophoresis gel marked with detectable indicia, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming said indicia in ink on a dry film of a water-permeable polymer that is capable of receiving said ink;

(b) placing an aqueous gel-forming liquid in a gel mold having an internal surface with said indicia-bearing film layered over said surface but not bonded thereto, and allowing said gel-forming liquid to permeate said film; and

(c) converting said gel-forming liquid, thus placed in said mold, into a gel that incorporates both said water-permeable polymer and said indicia and is not bonded to said solid surface, with neither said water-permeable polymer nor said indicia imposing dimensional restriction to said gel.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which step (a) comprises applying said indicia to a solid surface previously coated with said dry film, and step (b) comprises utilizing said solid surface as said internal surface of said gel mold.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which step (a) comprises applying said indicia to said dry film while said dry film is not in contact with said gel mold, and said method further comprises placing said dry film against said internal surface of said gel mold between steps (a) and (b).

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which said internal surface is a first flat plate and said gel mold is a slab gel mold defined by said first flat plate and a second flat plate separated from said first flat plate by spacers.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which said internal surface is a curved surface, and said gel mold is a member selected from the group consisting of a tubular gel mold and a closed cylindrical sheet gel mold.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which said dry film is a coating on one side of a flexible solid sheet but is not bonded to said flexible solid sheet, and in step (b) said flexible solid sheet is interleaved between said dry film and said internal surface.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which said water-permeable polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of linear polyacrylamide, linear polyacrylamide derivatives, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide), dextran, water-soluble celluloses, starch, and agarose.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which said water-permeable polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of linear polyacrylamide, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide), dextran, water-soluble celluloses, starch, and agarose.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which said water-permeable polymer is linear polyacrylamide.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which said water-permeable polymer is linear polyacrylamide and said gel-forming liquid is an aqueous solution comprising acrylamide and a crosslinking agent.

17. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which said gel-forming liquid is a solution of a member selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, polyacrylamide derivatives, agarose and starch.

18. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which said indicia are a member selected from the group consisting of (1) indicia identifying a manufacturer of said slab gel, (2) a catalog number, and (3) indicia identifying a gel type.

19. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which said indicia are a bar code.

20. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which said indicia are a member selected from the group consisting of (1) a grid pattern and (2) markings indicating solute migration distances along said gel.

21. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which said indicia are reference spots for comparing solutes of a sample to known solutes.

22. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which step (a) comprises machine printing of said indicia.

23. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which step (a) comprises manually applying said indicia.

24. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which said ink is a visible pigment.

25. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which said ink is a fluorescent dye.

26. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which said ink is an ultraviolet dye.

27. A method in accordance with claims 1 or 11 in which said ink is a luminescent dye.

41. An electrophoresis gel having indicia incorporated therein by the method of claim 1.

42. A polyacrylamide electrophoresis gel having indicia incorporated therein by the method of claim 1.

43. An agarose electrophoresis gel having indicia incorporated therein by the method of claim 1.

44. A starch electrophoresis gel having indicia incorporated therein by the method of claim 1.

11. A method for forming an electrophoresis gel marked with detectable indicia, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) forming indicia on a solid surface by applying to said surface, in a pattern corresponding to said indicia, a composition comprising an ink dispersed in a solution of a water-soluble polymer in a solvent, and evaporating said solvent to leave said indicia formed by said ink and said polymer on said surface,

(ii) placing an aqueous gel-forming liquid in a gel mold having an internal surface consisting of said solid surface with said indicia thereon, and

(iii) converting said gel-forming liquid, thus placed in said mold, into a gel that incorporates said indicia.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 in which said water-soluble polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of linear polyacrylamide, linear polyacrylamide derivatives, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide), dextrans, water-soluble celluloses, starch, and agarose.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11 in which said water-soluble polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of linear polyacrylamide, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide), dextran, water-soluble celluloses, starch, and agarose.

14. A method in accordance with claim 11 in which said water-soluble polymer is linear polyacrylamide.

15. A method in accordance with claim 11 in which said water-soluble polymer is linear polyacrylamide and said gel-forming liquid is an aqueous solution comprising acrylamide and a crosslinking agent.

16. A method in accordance with claim 11 in which said water-soluble polymer is linear polyacrylamide and said gel-forming liquid is an aqueous solution comprising acrylamide and a crosslinking agent.

45. An electrophoresis gel having indicia incorporated therein by the method of claim 11.

46. A polyacrylamide electrophoresis gel having indicia incorporated therein by the method of claim 11.

47. An agarose electrophoresis gel having indicia incorporated therein by the method of claim 11.

48. A starch electrophoresis gel having indicia incorporated therein by the method of claim 11.

28. An electrophoresis gel having indicia incorporated in said gel and immobilized therein in a manner that does not permit migration of said indicia within said gel when an electric field is imposed across said gel and does not restrict the ability of said gel to expand or contract.

29. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said gel is a slab gel.

30. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said gel is a polyacrylamide gel.

31. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said gel is an agarose gel.

32. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said gel is a starch gel.

33. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said indicia are formed in a visible pigment.

34. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said indicia are formed in a fluorescent dye.

35. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said indicia are formed in an ultraviolet dye.

36. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said indicia are formed in a luminescent dye.

37. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said indicia are a member selected from the group consisting of (1) indicia identifying a manufacturer of said slab gel, (2) a catalog number, and (3) indicia identifying a gel type.

38. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said indicia are a bar code.

39. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said indicia are a member selected from the group consisting of (1) a grid pattern and (2) markings indicating solute migration distances along said gel.

40. An electrophoresis gel in accordance with claim 28 in which said indicia are reference spots for comparing solutes of a sample to known solutes.

49. A kit for applying indicia to an electrophoresis gel, said kit comprising:

a solid flexible sheet having a coating of a water-permeable polymer on one side, said polymer being one that is capable of receiving ink but is not bonded to said sheet; and

an ink that is capable of being retained by said polymer.

50. A kit in accordance with claim 49 in which said solid flexible sheet has first and second sides, said coating of water-permeable polymer is on said first side and said second side is coated with an adhesive that will adhere said sheet to a glass or plastic plate.

51. A kit in accordance with claim 49 in which said solid flexible sheet has first and second sides, said coating of water-permeable polymer is on said first side and said second side is not coated with an adhesive that will adhere said sheet to a glass or plastic plate.

52. A kit in accordance with claim 49 in which said water-permeable polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of linear polyacrylamide, linear polyacrylamide derivatives, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide), dextrans, water-soluble celluloses, starch, and agarose.

53. A kit in accordance with claim 49 in which said water-permeable polymer is linear polyacrylamide.

54. A kit in accordance with claim 49 in which said ink is a visible pigment.

55. A kit in accordance with claim 49 in which said ink is a fluorescent dye.

56. A kit in accordance with claim 49 in which said ink is an ultraviolet dye.

57. A kit in accordance with claim 49 in which said ink is a luminescent dye.

58. A kit in accordance with claim 49 in which said ink is contained in a writing implement.

59. A kit for applying indicia to an electrophoresis gel, said kit comprising:

a solid water-soluble polymeric sheet that is capable of receiving ink; and

an ink that is capable of being retained by said sheet.

60. A kit in accordance with claim 59 in which said water-soluble polymeric sheet comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of linear polyacrylamide, linear polyacrylamide derivatives, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide), dextrans, water-soluble celluloses, starch, and agarose.

61. A kit in accordance with claim 60 in which said polymer is linear polyacrylamide.

62. A kit in accordance with claim 59 in which said ink is a visible pigment.

63. A kit in accordance with claim 59 in which said ink is a fluorescent dye.

64. A kit in accordance with claim 59 in which said ink is an ultraviolet dye.

65. A kit in accordance with claim 59 in which said ink is a luminescent dye.

66. A gel marking combination comprising:

an ink composition comprising a pigment dispersed in a solution of a water-soluble polymer in a solvent, and a writing implement capable of retaining said ink composition and of depositing said ink composition on a solid surface upon contact.

67. A gel marking combination in accordance with claim 66 in which said pigment is a pigment that when dry is insoluble in a polyacrylamide gel.

68. A gel marking combination in accordance with claim 66 in which said pigment is a visible pigment.

69. A gel marking combination in accordance with claim 66 in which said pigment is a fluorescent dye.

70. A gel marking combination in accordance with claim 66 in which said pigment is an ultraviolet dye.

71. A gel marking combination in accordance with claim 66 in which said pigment is a luminescent dye.

72. A gel marking combination in accordance with claim 66 in which said water-soluble polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of linear polyacrylamide, linear polyacrylamide derivatives, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide), dextrans, water-soluble celluloses, starch, and agarose.

73. A gel marking combination in accordance with claim 66 in which said water-soluble polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of linear polyacrylamide, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide), dextran, water-soluble celluloses, starch, and agarose.

74. A gel marking combination in accordance with claim 66 in which said water-soluble polymer is linear polyacrylamide.