High-throughput screening with multi-through hole testing plate

• US 20060183171A1
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schellenberger, Volker, Liu, Amy Deming
• Application Number:
  US11/378,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20060183171A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.720
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00286 Reactor vessels with top and bottom openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00319 the blocks being mounted in stacked arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0052 in the shape of elongated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00524 in the shape of fiber bundles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00533 essentially rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00644 the porous medium being present in discrete locations, e.g. gel pads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00662 Two-dimensional arrays within two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00707 separated from the reactor apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50857 using arrays or bundles of open capillaries for holding samples
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 : Multiple transfer devices

Abstract

A high throughput screening method. At least one liquid sample is provided that includes an analyte that directly or indirectly produces a detectable characteristic in one or more first assays. A plurality of through holes is filled with portions of the liquid sample in a testing assembly that has a pair of opposing surfaces, each through hole extending from one of the opposing surfaces to the other of the opposing surfaces, with the through holes arranged in group. Surface tension holds the respective portions in the respective plurality of through holes. A detection is made of which of the through holes contains a liquid sample portion that includes said analyte. The detectable characteristic may be produced in various assays such as an absorbance transcription assay, a fluorescent transcription assay, a fluorescent secreted enzyme assay, or a microorganism screening assay.

Claims

1. A high throughput screening method comprising:

a. providing at least one liquid sample that includes an analyte that directly or indirectly produces a detectable characteristic in one or more first assays;

b. providing a testing assembly having a pair of opposing surfaces and a plurality of through holes, each of said through holes extending from one of the opposing surfaces to the other of the opposing surfaces, the through holes arranged in groups, each of the groups comprising at least two rows and two columns of through holes; and

c. at least partially filling a plurality of said holes of said assembly with at least portions of said at least one liquid sample, where surface tension holds the respective portions in the respective plurality of through holes; and

detecting which of said plurality of through holes contains a liquid sample portion that includes said analyte.

2. The high throughput screening method of claim 1, wherein said detectable characteristic is produced in an absorbance transcription assay.

3. The high throughput screening method of claim 1, wherein said detectable characteristic is produced in a fluorescent transcription assay.

4. The high throughput screening method of claim 1, wherein said detectable characteristic is produced in a fluorescent secreted enzyme assay.

5. The high throughput screening method of claim 1, wherein said detectable characteristic is produced in a microorganism screening assay.

6. The high throughput screening method of claim 1, further comprising subjecting the respective portions in the respective plurality of holes to reaction conditions to cause a reaction prior to detecting which of said plurality of holes contains a liquid sample portion that includes said analyte.

7. A method comprising:

providing a testing assembly having a pair of opposing surfaces and a plurality of through holes, each of said through holes extending from one of the opposing surfaces to the other of the opposing surfaces, the through holes arranged in groups, each of the groups comprising at least two rows and two columns of through holes;

at least partially filling a plurality of said through holes with respective liquid sample portions, wherein surface tension holds the respective liquid sample portions in the respective plurality of through holes; and

subjecting the respective liquid sample portions to one or more first assays in the respective plurality of through holes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least partially filling comprises immersing the testing assembly into a liquid sample.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the said one or more first assays comprises one or more of an absorbance transcription assay, a fluorescent transcription assay, a fluorescent secreted enzyme assay, and a microorganism screening assay.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising analyzing at least one of said liquid sample portions in at least one of said through holes.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of said respective liquid sample portions includes an analyte that directly or indirectly produces a detectable characteristic in one or more first assays;

and wherein said method further comprises;

detecting which of said plurality of through holes contains a liquid sample portion that includes said analyte.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising stacking the testing assembly on top of another testing assembly.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein each of said respective through holes has a constant diameter from one of the opposing surfaces to the other of the opposing surfaces.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the constant diameter is about 1 millimeter.