Tip overlay for continuous flow spotting apparatus

• US 20100248994A1
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carterra, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Carterra, Inc.
• Inventors: Eddings, Mark, Smith, Jim, Miles, Adam, Natarajan, Sriram, Gale, Bruce K., Eckman, Joshua Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 9,682,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 506/32
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00385 Printing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00527 Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0268 using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries

Abstract

The present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods involving a spotter apparatus for depositing a substance from a carrier fluid onto a deposition surface in an ordered array, the spotter apparatus comprising a loading surface including a first well and a second well; and a different outlet surface, including a first opening and a second opening, where a first microconduit fluidly couples the first well with the first opening and a second microconduit fluidly couples the second well with the second opening. An overlay is sealed to the outlet surface and penetrated by a deposition channel that is situated to communicate carrier fluid among the first opening, the second opening, and the deposition surface when the overlay is pressed against the deposition surface.

Claims

1. A spotter apparatus for depositing a substance from a carrier fluid onto a deposition surface in the form of a deposition spot, the spotter apparatus comprising:

a) a loading surface including a first well and a second well;

b) an outlet surface, different than the loading surface, including a first opening and a second opening;

c) a first microconduit fluidly coupling the first well to the first opening;

d) a second microconduit fluidly coupling the second well to with the second opening; and

e) an overlay positioned on the outlet surface and penetrated by a deposition channel, wherein the deposition channel is situated to communicate carrier fluid among the first opening, the second opening, and a deposition surface when the overlay is pressed against the deposition surface.

2. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, in the form of an array for applying multiple deposition spots on the deposition surface, wherein individual deposition spots are applied by their own unique first well, second well, first microconduit, second microconduit, first opening, second opening, and deposition channel, each arranged as set forth in a)-e).

3. The spotter apparatus of claim 2, wherein the array includes 8, 16, 32, 96, 192, 384, 768, or 1536 first and second wells.

4. The spotter apparatus of claim 2, wherein the array includes 4, 7, 8, 14, 16, 28, 48, 84, 88, 96, 192, 360, 368, 384, 768, 1488, 1504, or 1536 deposition channels.

5. The spotter apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the overlay is pressed against the deposition surface, the deposition channel for each member of the array and the deposition surface define a plurality of flow chambers, all having a substantially equal volume.

6. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deposition channel has a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of, triangular, rectangular, circular, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, and elliptical.

7. The spotter apparatus of claim 6, wherein the geometric shape is hexagonal or octagonal.

8. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the loading surface and the outlet surface are formed of a material selected from the group of silicon, silica, gallium arsenide, glass, ceramics, quartz, neoprene, polytetrafluoroethlene polymers, perfluoroalkoxy polymers, fluorinated ethylene propylene polymers, tetrafluoroethylene copolymers, polyethylene elastomers, polybutadiene/SBR, nitriles, and combinations thereof.

9. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the loading surface and the outlet surface are formed of polydimethylsiloxane.

10. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the loading surface and the outlet surface are formed of thermoplastic elastomer.

11. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the overlay is formed of a material selected from the group of silicon, silica, gallium arsenide, glass, ceramics, quartz, neoprene, polytetrafluoroethlene polymers, perfluoroalkoxy polymers, fluorinated ethylene propylene polymers, tetrafluoroethylene copolymers, polyethylene elastomers, polybutadiene/SBR, nitriles, and combinations thereof.

12. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the overlay is formed of polydimethylsiloxane.

13. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the overlay is formed of thermoplastic elastomer.

14. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the overlay is pressed against the deposition surface, the deposition channel, the outlet surface, and the deposition surface define a chamber having a volume of from about 0.1 nL to 500 nL.

15. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the overlay is separate from the deposition surface, and the overlay and the deposition surface are configured to form a seal around the deposition channel when pressed together.

16. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deposition surface is integrated with the overlay.

17. The spotter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deposition surface is also a sensing surface that is configured to sense the at least one substance or an interaction of multiple substances after being deposited thereon.

18. A method of depositing at least one substance from a carrier fluid on a deposition surface, the method comprising:

a) loading a carrier fluid having at least one substance into a first well of a spotter apparatus, wherein the spotter apparatus comprises;

i) a loading surface including the first well and a second well;

ii) an outlet surface, different than the loading surface, including a first opening and a second opening;

iii) a first microconduit fluidly coupling the first well with the first opening;

iv) a second microconduit fluidly coupling the second well with the second opening; and

v) an overlay positioned on the outlet surface and penetrated by a deposition channel, wherein the deposition channel is situated to communicate carrier fluid among the first opening, the second opening, and a deposition surface when the overlay is pressed against the deposition surface, and

b) flowing the carrier fluid in series from the first well, through the first microconduit to the deposition channel, through the second microconduit and into the second well, wherein the deposition channel directs at least one substance from the carrier fluid onto the deposition surface.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising flowing the carrier fluid in the opposite direction.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the spotter apparatus is in the form of an array for applying multiple deposition spots on the deposition surface, wherein individual deposition spots are applied by their own unique first well, second well, first microconduit, second microconduit, first opening, second opening, and deposition channel, each arranged as set forth in i)-v).

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the loading step comprises loading at least two different carrier fluids into separate first wells of the ordered array.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the array includes 8, 16, 32, 96, 192, 384, 768, or 1536 first and second wells.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the array includes 4, 7, 8, 14, 16, 28, 48, 84, 88, 96, 192, 360, 368, 384, 768, 1488, 1504, or 1536 deposition channels.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the deposition channel has a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of, triangular, rectangular, circular, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, and elliptical.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising flowing a second carrier fluid having a second substance over the deposition surface without breaking the seal between the overlay and the deposition surface.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the loading surface and the outlet surface are formed of a material selected from the group of silicon, silica, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), gallium arsenide, glass, ceramics, quartz, neoprene, polytetrafluoroethlene polymers, perfluoroalkoxy polymers, fluorinated ethylene propylene polymers, tetrafluoroethylene copolymers, polyethylene elastomers, polybutadiene/SBR, nitriles, and combinations thereof.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the loading surface and the outlet surface are formed of polydimethylsiloxane.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the loading surface and the outlet surface are formed of thermoplastic elastomer.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the overlay is formed of a material selected from the group of silicon, silica, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), gallium arsenide, glass, ceramics, quartz, neoprene, polytetrafluoroethlene polymers, perfluoroalkoxy polymers, fluorinated ethylene propylene polymers, tetrafluoroethylene copolymers, polyethylene elastomers, polybutadiene/SBR, nitriles, and combinations thereof.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the overlay is formed of polydimethylsiloxane.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein the overlay is formed of thermoplastic elastomer.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein when the overlay is pressed against the deposition surface, the deposition channel, the outlet surface, and the deposition surface define a chamber having a volume of from about 0.1 nL to 500 nL.

33. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of pressing the overlay against the deposition surface prior to flowing the carrier fluid.

34. The method of claim 18, wherein the deposition surface is integrated with the overlay.

35. The method of claim 18, wherein the deposition surface is also a sensing surface that is configured to sense the at least one substance or an interaction of multiple substances.