Reagent Storage and Reconstitution for a Droplet Actuator

• US 20100282609A1
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc. (Illumina Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc. (Illumina Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pamula, Vamsee K., Paik, Philip, Srinivasan, Vijay, Pollack, Michael G., Shenderov, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,460,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/450
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00371 comprising electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00385 Printing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00515 in the shape of strings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00518 in the shape of tapes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0065 by the use of liquid beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00653 the compounds being bound to electrodes embedded in or on the solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0845 Filaments, strings, fibres, i.e. not hollow
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0427 Electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502792 : for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension

Abstract

On-board reagent storage, handling, and dispensing apparatuses and methods for droplet actuator systems are provided. In one embodiment, a fluidic analyzer is provided and includes a droplet actuator including a substrate including a plurality of electrodes configured to actuate a droplet and a reagent storage component in selective fluid communication with the droplet actuator and including a reagent configured to combine with a solvent at a time of use. In another embodiment, a method of conducting fluidic analysis is provided and includes storing a reagent within a reagent storage component in fluid communication with a droplet actuator including a plurality of electrodes configured to actuate a droplet and combining the reagent with a solvent at a time for use within the droplet actuator.

Claims

1. A fluidic analyzer comprising:

(a) a droplet actuator comprising a substrate including a plurality of electrodes configured to actuate a droplet on a droplet operations surface; and

(b) a reagent storage component in selective fluid communication with the droplet actuator and comprising a reagent configured to combine with a solvent to yield a reagent droplet.

2. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the fluidic analyzer further comprises a reservoir comprising the solvent.

3. The fluidic analyzer of claim 2 wherein the reagent storage component further comprises an outlet from the reservoir to the substrate.

4. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the reagent storage component comprises the reagent in a vacuum.

5. The fluidic analyzer of claim 3 wherein the outlet is proximate a reservoir electrode of the plurality of electrodes.

6. The fluidic analyzer of claim 2 wherein the reagent storage component further comprises:

(a) a channel in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

(b) a pressure source configured to communicate pressure to the reservoir via the channel.

7. The fluidic analyzer of claim 6 wherein channel is filled with a liquid.

8. The fluidic analyzer of claim 6 wherein the pressure source comprises a piston.

9. The fluidic analyzer of claim 6 wherein channel comprises at least one of a liquid and air.

10. The fluidic analyzer of claim 6 wherein the reagent storage component further comprises a plug in the fluid-filled channel wherein the plug becomes displaced when a seal between the reagent and the solvent is removed.

11. The fluidic analyzer of claim 2 wherein the reagent storage component further comprises a cover in contact with the body wherein the reagent is attached to the cover and is configured to be positioned proximate the reservoir.

12. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1, further comprising a seal preventing the reagent from contacting the solvent.

13. The fluidic analyzer of claim 12 wherein the seal is at least one of removable and breakable.

14. The fluidic analyzer of claim 12 wherein the seal comprises a tab to facilitate removal.

15. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the reagent storage component further comprises a loading fluid path configured to provide the reagent to the reagent storage component.

16. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the reagent is dry.

17. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the reagent storage component is positioned in between the plurality of electrodes within the droplet actuator and wherein the plurality of electrodes move a droplet of the solvent into contact with the reagent.

18. The fluidic analyzer of claim 17 wherein the reagent is positioned within an electrode path of the droplet actuator.

19. The fluidic analyzer of claim 17 wherein the position of the reagent is proximate an electrode of the plurality of electrodes.

20. The fluidic analyzer of claim 17 wherein the movement facilitates the dissolution of the reagent into the droplet of solvent.

21. The fluidic analyzer of claim 17 wherein the combined solvent and reagent droplet is used for performing an assay operation.

22. The fluidic analyzer of claim 17 wherein the reagent is associated with a magnetically responsive bead.

23. The fluidic analyzer of claim 22 wherein the droplet actuator further comprises a magnet configured to retain the bead.

24. The fluidic analyzer of claim 22 wherein the droplet actuator further comprises a physical barrier configured to retain the bead.

25. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise a plurality of fluid paths within which the reagent and another reagent of the reagent storage component are positioned such that the plurality of paths include different reagent attributes, and wherein the droplet actuator is further configured to selectively move a droplet of the solvent through a path of the plurality of paths.

26. The fluidic analyzer of claim 25 wherein the different reagent attributes are attributable to a different amount of reagent as between paths.

27. The fluidic analyzer of claim 25 wherein the different reagent attributes are attributable to the reagent and the other reagent being different types of reagents.

28. The fluidic analyzer of claim 25 wherein the different reagent attributes are attributable to a sequence in which the droplet moves between the reagent and the other reagent.

29. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise a plurality of fluid paths, and wherein the reagent storage component reagent adhered to a substrate disposed proximate to the droplet operations surface.

30. The fluidic analyzer of claim 29 wherein the substrate comprises a second reagent spaced apart from the first reagent in order to substantially correspond to a spacing of the plurality of electrodes.

31. The fluidic analyzer of claim 29 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible filament.

32. The fluidic analyzer of claim 29 wherein the substrate comprises marks for aligning the substrate in the droplet actuator.

33. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 further comprising a second reagent storage component:

(a) in selective fluid communication with the droplet actuator; and

(b) comprising another reagent configured to combine with the solvent at a time of use.

34. The fluidic analyzer of claim 33 wherein the reagent and the other reagent are different.

35. The fluidic analyzer of claim 33 wherein the reagent is dried.

36. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 further comprising a filler fluid proximate the reagent and that thickens at a temperature below an operating temperature of a droplet operation process so as to substantially retain the reagent in place until heated.

37. The fluidic analyzer of claim 1 provided in a sealed packet.

38. A kit comprising:

(a) the fluidic analyzer of any of the foregoing claims claim 1;

(b) packaging materials enclosing the droplet actuator device; and

(c) instructions for operating the fluidic analyzer.

39. A system comprising:

(a) a fluidic analyzer or kit of any of the foregoing claims claim 1;

(b) electronic components for operating the fluidic analyzer;

(c) software programmed to contact the reagent with the solvent and use the reagent droplet to conduct steps in an assay protocol.

40. A method of conducting fluidic analysis comprising:

(a) storing a reagent within a reagent storage compartment in fluid communication with a droplet actuator comprising a plurality of electrodes configured to actuate a droplet; and

(b) combining the reagent with a solvent within the droplet actuator to yield a reagent droplet. 41-75. (canceled)