SYSTEM FOR RAPID NUCLEIC ACID AMPLIFICATION AND DETECTION

• US 20080057544A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Spartan Bioscience, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Spartan Bioscience, Inc.
• Inventors: Lem, Paul, Spiegelman, Jamie, Lem, John, Harder, Christopher J.E., Arbour, Nicole A., Shayanpour, Alan
• Application Number:
  US11/768,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20080057544A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/91.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/525 with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/272 for following a reaction, e.g. for determining photometrically a reaction rate (photometric cinetic analysis)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates

Abstract

A system is provided for carrying out rapid nucleic acid amplification or other biological reactions requiring thermal cycling. The system of this invention incorporates at least two heating blocks, each having a groove for receiving a reaction vessel such that only a portion of the outer surface of the walls of the vessel are in direct contact with the heating block. The remaining portion of the outer surface of the walls of the reaction vessel remains exposed to ambient conditions. The reaction vessel comes into contact with only one heating block at a time either by movement of the vessel between the heating blocks or by movement of the heating blocks in relation to the vessel. The system of this invention provides rapid temperature cycling without the need for extended ramping times generally associated with single block designs, which include a single temperature block that is forced to heat and cool. Heating and cooling of the reaction using the system of the present invention is accomplished by the reaction vessel and heating blocks coming into thermal contact and reaching thermal equilibrium. The entire vessel need not be surrounded by the heating block, with at least one side of the vessel partially open to ambient conditions. As a result of the configuration of this system it is readily combined with detection systems, for example, fluorescence detection systems.

Claims