Nucleic acid material amplification and detection without washing

• US 5,422,271 A
• Filed: 11/20/1992
• Issued: 06/06/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clinical Diagnostic Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Atwood, Susan M., Chen, Paul H.-D., Bergmeyer, Lynn, Findlay, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parr, Margaret
• Assistant Examiner(s): Houtteman, Scott W.
• Application Number:
  US07/979,569
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 435/287, 435/288, 206/223, 206/568, 206/569, 422/57, 422/58
• US Class Current: 435/287.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00

Abstract

A device and method are disclosed for amplifying and detecting nucleic acid material. The device and method use a label and signalling material responsive to the label to produce a detectable signal. A surprising result of the method and device is that at least one of the wash steps heretofore required has been eliminated without substantially adversely affecting the results.

Claims

1. In a device for amplidying and detecting nucleic acid material in a closed container by using at least one target strand as a template, said device comprising a reaction compartment containing reagents for amplifying a sample of nucleic acid material, a detection site for detecting amplified nucleic acid material, and storage compartments containing a label and signaling material effective to generate, in combination, a detectable signal, and passageways for fluidly connecting said compartments with said site but closed to the environment,

the improvement wherein said device is free of any wash compartment containing a wash liquid substantially free of capture, label, and signal-forming reagents used in storage or reaction compartments,

so that no wash stem is used in a sequence of steps comprising the emptying and moving of the contents of said compartments to said detection site.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein all of said compartments, detection site, and passageways are sealed against leakage to the exterior of said device to prevent carry-over contamination.

3. A device as defined in claims 1or wherein said label is an enzyme.