Methods and compositions for directed microwave chemistry

• US 20040209303A1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mirari Biosciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mirari Biosciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Mark T.
• Application Number:
  US10/842,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209303A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 11/00 Carrier-bound or immobilised enzymes; Carrier-bound or immobilised microbial cells; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 13/00 Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5436 with ligand physically entrapped within the solid phase liposomes G01N33/5432; immunological test elements G01N33/54386
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54393 Improving reaction conditions or stability, e.g. by coating or irradiation of surface, by reduction of non-specific binding, by promotion of specific binding

Abstract

The present invention concerns a novel means by which chemical preparations can be made. Reactions can be accelerated on special cartridges using microwave energy. The chips contain materials that efficiently absorb microwave energy causing chemical reaction rate increases. The invention is important in many chemical transformations including those used in protein chemistry, in nucleic acid chemistry, in analytical chemistry, and in the polymerase chain reaction.

Claims

1. A method for accelerating a chemical reaction involving one or more reactant(s) and a carrier fluid, said method comprising:

(a) providing a composite material to said reactant(s) and carrier fluid, said composite material comprising a solid material susceptible to dielectric heating,

(b) applying an electromagnetic field to said composite material, said electromagnetic field being sufficient to result in dielectric heating of said solid material, and

(c) allowing said composite material to transfer heat to said reactant(s);

(d) whereby product is formed from said reactant(s), thereby accelerating said chemical reaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said chemical reaction comprises a biospecific binding reaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more said reactant(s) is a protein molecule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said one or more reactant(s) is an antibody or a fragment of an antibody that retains the biospecific binding specificity of the antibody.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the said chemical reaction is between an antibody and its antigen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more said reactant(s) is a nucleic acid molecule.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said reaction comprises annealing two nucleic acid molecules to one another.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction comprises a nucleic acid amplification reaction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the amplification reaction is a polymerase chain reaction.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of measuring the extent or rate of said chemical reaction.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(e) contacting said composite with one or more reactant(s) capable of participating in a biospecific interaction with a reactant (a), or a product produced as a consequence of a chemical reaction involving a reactant (a),

(f) allowing said additional reactant(s) to react in said biospecific interaction, and

(g) measuring the extent or rate of said biospecific interaction.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acceleration of one or more additional reactions, said method comprising the additional steps of:

(e) contacting said composite with one or more additional reactant(s), wherein said reactant(s) are capable of participating in one or more further chemical reactions involving a reactant (a), or a product produced as a consequence of a chemical reaction involving a reactant (a),

(f) applying an electromagnetic field to said composite, said electromagnetic field being sufficient to result in dielectric heating of said solid material, said additional reactant(s) being heated by heat transfer from said heated solid material, and

(g) allowing said heated additional reactant(s) to react with either a reactant (a), or a product produced as a consequence of a chemical reaction involving a reactant (a), thereby accelerating said one or more additional chemical reactions.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of measuring the extent or rate of said chemical reaction.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said one or more additional reaction(s) comprises the annealing of two nucleic acid molecules.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said one or more additional reaction(s) comprises a nucleic acid amplification reaction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said amplification reaction is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the wavelength of the applied field is between 1 cm and 100 m.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the wavelength of the applied field is between 1 cm and 100 m.

19. A composite comprising a solid material responsive to dielectric heating having a surface molecule capable of biospecific interaction with a reactant molecule.

20. The composite of claim 19, wherein said surface molecule is bound or immobilized to said surface via a noncovalent adsorption reaction.

21. The composite of claim 19, wherein said surface is capable of a covalent conjugation reaction with said reactant molecule.

22. The composite of claim 19, wherein said surface is selected from the group consisting of a microarray chip, a macroarray chip, a test tube, a Petri dish, and a microtiter plate.

23. An instrument that emits electromagnetic radiation sufficient to accelerate a chemical reaction, wherein said chemical reaction involves

(a) providing a composite material to said reactant(s) and carrier fluid, said composite material comprising a solid material susceptible to dielectric heating,

(b) applying an electromagnetic field to said composite material, said electromagnetic field being sufficient to result in dielectric heating of said solid material, and

(c) allowing said composite material to transfer heat to said reactant(s);

(d) whereby product is formed from said reactant(s), thereby accelerating said chemical reaction.

24. The instrument of claim 23, wherein said chemical reaction comprises the annealing of two nucleic acid molecules.