Method for a continuous rapid thermal cycle system

• US 20100267091A1
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied DNA Sciences Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vandalia Research, Inc. (Applied DNA Sciences Incorporated)
• Inventors: Murray, Elizabeth, Swick, Justin Thomas, Towler, William Ian, Norton, Michael Louis, Gregg, Derek Allen
• Granted Patent: US 8,163,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/91.200
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/525 with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an efficient, high speed production scale synthesis method for high molecular weight organic substances, such as DNA. The invention includes a method of conducting a polymerase chain reaction which comprises transporting a liquid through polymeric tubing disposed through a first reaction cycle region and at least a second reaction cycle region, each of which regions comprises at least a first and a second temperature zone, the temperature in each zone of said at least second region being substantially identical to the corresponding first and second zones in said first region, wherein said liquid is an aqueous solution comprising polymerase chain reaction reactants and a surface absorbing polymer.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a polymerase chain reaction which comprises transporting a liquid through polymeric tubing disposed through a first reaction cycle region and at least a second reaction cycle region, each of which regions comprises at least a first and a second temperature zone, the temperature in each zone of said at least second region being substantially identical to the corresponding first and second zones in said first region, wherein said liquid is an aqueous solution comprising polymerase chain reaction reactants and a surface absorbing polymer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises transporting said liquid through from about 10 to 40 reaction cycle regions, each of which regions comprises at least a first and second temperature zone, the temperature in each zone of said regions being substantially identical to the corresponding zone in said first region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said polymeric tubing is flexible polytetrafluoroethylene tubing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said surface absorbing polymer is a block copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said liquid is transported into, through and out from said polymeric tubing without physical barriers therein.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said liquid is a homogeneous aqueous solution.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said regions comprise a first, a second and a third temperature zone.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the temperature in said first temperature zone is about 94-96°

C., in said second temperature zone is about 55-60°

C. and in said third temperature zone is about 70-73°

C.

9. A method of conducting a polymerase chain reaction which comprises the steps of:

a. transporting an aqueous solution comprising a surface absorbing polymer through polymeric tubing followed by;

b. transporting a second aqueous solution comprising polymerase chain reactants through said tubing at temperatures sufficient to induce said polymerase chain reaction.