Device for the amplification of dna, comprising a microwave energy source
First Claim
1. A device for the amplification of DNA in a reaction mixture, the device comprising:
- a heated chamber including a rotor for holding a plurality of reaction vessels for reaction mixtures;
a drive means for said rotor;
a microwave energy source with means for controlled delivery of said energy to said reaction mixtures; and
a system for determining denaturation of double-stranded DNA.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a device for the amplification of DNA in a reaction mixture, the device (1) comprising a heated chamber (2) including a rotor (3) for holding a plurality of reaction vessels for reaction mixtures, a drive means for the rotor, a microwave energy source (8) with means for controlled delivery of said energy to the reaction mixtures, and a system (14-16) for determining denaturation of double-stranded DNA. The invention also provides a method for the amplification of a nucleic acid strand. In the first step of the method, a reaction mixture is formed comprising the target nucleic acid strand, nucleotides, a primer, a thermostable nucleic acid polymerase, and, if necessary, a reagent for the detection of denaturation of double-stranded DNA. In the second step, the mixture is incubated at a temperature which allows synthesis of a nucleic acid strand complementary to the target nucleic acid strand. The third step comprises denaturing double-stranded DNA formed in the second step by microwave energisation of the reaction mixture with monitoring of the mixture to determine the denaturation end point. The reaction mixture is allowed to cool to a temperature at which primer anneals to the target nucleic acid strand in the fourth step. The second to fourth steps are repeated until a desired level of amplification is achieved.
30 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A device for the amplification of DNA in a reaction mixture, the device comprising:
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a heated chamber including a rotor for holding a plurality of reaction vessels for reaction mixtures;
a drive means for said rotor;
a microwave energy source with means for controlled delivery of said energy to said reaction mixtures; and
a system for determining denaturation of double-stranded DNA. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11)
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10. A method for the amplification of a nucleic acid strand, the method comprising the steps of:
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i) forming a reaction mixture comprising said target nucleic acid strand, nucleotides, a primer, a thermostable nucleic acid polymerase, and, if necessary, a reagent for the detection of denaturation of double-stranded DNA;
ii) incubating said mixture at a temperature which allows synthesis of a nucleic acid strand complementary to said target nucleic acid strand;
iii) denaturing double-stranded DNA formed in step (ii) by microwave energisation of said reaction mixture with monitoring of said mixture to determine the denaturation end point;
iv) allowing said reaction mixture to cool to a temperature at which primer anneals to said target nucleic acid strand; and
v) repeating steps (ii) to (iv) until a desired level of amplification is achieved. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification