POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR) MODULE AND MULTIPLE PCR SYSTEM USING THE SAME

• US 20100311070A1
• Filed: 07/26/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Jin-tae, NAMKOONG, Kak, PARK, Chin-sung, OH, Kwang-wook, CHO, Yoon-kyoung
• Granted Patent: US 8,697,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0627 Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/18 Means for temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046

Abstract

Provided are a PCR module and a multiple PCR system using the same. More particularly, provided are a PCR module with a combined PCR thermal cycler and PCR product detector, and a multiple PCR system using the same.

Claims

1. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) module comprising:

a heater comprising a heater wire and a temperature sensor;

a first housing for fixing the heater;

a PCR tube thermally contacting with the heater and comprising a PCR chamber containing a PCR solution;

a second housing fixed to the first housing, for fixing the PCR tube; and

a detection unit detecting a PCR product signal.

2. The PCR module of claim 1, further comprising a cooler lowering a temperature of the PCR tube.

3. The PCR module of claim 1, further comprising a heat-transfer facilitating layer interposed between the PCT tube and the heater.

4. The PCR module of claim 3, wherein the heat-transfer facilitating layer comprises a graphite sheet.

5. The PCR module of claim 1, further comprising a sealing member positioned on the first housing, and corresponding to an entrance of the PCR tube.

6. The PCR module of claim 1, wherein the PCR tube is of a microchip type and is made of silicon.

7. The PCR module of claim 1, wherein the heater is separately disposed from the PCR tube and contacts with a lower surface of the PCR tube to apply heat to the PCR tube.

8. The PCR module of claim 1, further comprising a computing unit for controlling PCR.

9. The PCR module of claim 1, wherein the detection unit is a fluorescence detector that detects the fluorescence signal.

10. The PCR module of claim 8, wherein the computing unit independently controls in real time the heater, the PCR tube, and the detection unit.

11. The PCR module of claim 8, wherein the computing unit controls in real time a temperature of the PCR solution in the PCR chamber disposed in the PCR tube.

12. A multiple PCR system comprising:

one or more PCR modules of claim 1; and

a host computer controlling the PCR modules,

wherein the PCR modules and the host computer are electrically connected through a wire or wireless mode.

13. The multiple PCR system of claim 12, wherein the host computer independently controls in real time the heater, the PCR tube, and the detection unit.

14. The multiple PCR system of claim 12, wherein the host computer controls in real time a temperature of the PCR solution in the PCR chamber disposed in the PCR tube.

15. The multiple PCR system of claim 12, wherein the detection unit in each PCR module detects a PCR product signal in the PCR tube and transmits the detected signal to the host computer through a wire or wireless mode.

16. The multiple PCR system of claim 15, wherein the PCR product signal is a fluorescence signal emitted from the PCR chamber in the PCR tube and the detection unit is a fluorescence detector that detects the fluorescence signal.

17. The multiple PCR system of claim 12, wherein the detection unit comprises a sensor detecting an electrical signal and the sensor detects a PCR product signal emitted from the PCR solution when an alternating current is applied to the PCR solution in the PCR chamber disposed in the PCR tube.

18. A multiple PCR system comprising:

one or more PCR modules of claim 1; and

a host computer controlling the PCR modules,

wherein the computing unit of each PCR module and the host computer are electrically connected through a wire or wireless network.

19. A real-time PCR monitoring method comprising:

(a) loading a PCR solution in a PCR chamber of a PCR tube received in each of one or more PCR modules of claim 1;

(b) performing PCR independently in the PCR chamber of the PCR tube of each PCR module having an independently determined temperature condition;

(c) detecting a PCR product signal based on PCR performed in each PCR module; and

(d) displaying data about the PCR product signal of each PCR module.

20. The real-time PCR monitoring method of claim 19, wherein the PCR product signal is a fluorescence signal emitted from the PCR chamber.