Apparatus for automated assay of DNA probe and method for assaying nucleic acid in sample
First Claim
1. An apparatus for an automated assay of a sample using a DNA probe, which is performed by hybridizing a nucleic acid in a sample with a DNA probe marked with an enzyme and optically measuring a change that occurs in a substrate by catalysis of said enzyme which is bound with said probe hybridized with said nucleic acid in said sample to assay said nucleic acid in said sample, comprising:
- A--a sample-reagent unit, comprising said sample, reagents, and reaction vessel;
B--a sample-reagent dispense unit in communication with said sample-reagent unit, comprising means to access and deliver said sample and reagents into and out of said reaction vessel;
C--a reaction vessel transport unit in communication with said sample-reagent dispense unit, comprising means for transporting said reaction vessel;
D--a hybridization unit in communication with said reaction vessel transport unit, comprising means for shaking and hybridizing said sample with said DNA probe in said reaction vessel;
E--a B/F separation unit composed of said sample-reagent unit A, said sample-reagent dispense unit B, and said hybridization unit D, the combination of which comprises means to separate unhybridized (F) from hybridized (B) sample nucleic acid that is bound to said reaction vessel; and
F--a light measurement unit in communication with said hybridization unit, comprising means to measure the optical change of the contents of said reaction vessel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is presented for an automated assay of a DNA probe, which is performed by hybridizing a nucleic acid in a sample with a DNA probe marked with an enzyme and optically measuring a change that occurs in the substrate by catalysis of the enzyme which is bound with the DNA probe. The DNA probe hybridizes with the nucleic acid in the sample to assay the nucleic acid in the sample. Comprising (A) a sample-reagent unit, (B) a sample-reagent dispense unit, (C) a reaction vessel transport unit, (D) a hybridization unit, (E) a B/F separation unit, and (F) a light measurement unit; also presented is a method for assaying a nucleic acid in a sample by the apparatus of the present invention. According to the measurement apparatus of the present invention, a continuous and highly precise measurement is attainable. In particular, the light-shielding structure of the light measurement unit exhibits high levels of light-shielding effect and contributes to efficient light measurement and prevention of degradation of light receiving elements.
147 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus for an automated assay of a sample using a DNA probe, which is performed by hybridizing a nucleic acid in a sample with a DNA probe marked with an enzyme and optically measuring a change that occurs in a substrate by catalysis of said enzyme which is bound with said probe hybridized with said nucleic acid in said sample to assay said nucleic acid in said sample, comprising:
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A--a sample-reagent unit, comprising said sample, reagents, and reaction vessel; B--a sample-reagent dispense unit in communication with said sample-reagent unit, comprising means to access and deliver said sample and reagents into and out of said reaction vessel; C--a reaction vessel transport unit in communication with said sample-reagent dispense unit, comprising means for transporting said reaction vessel; D--a hybridization unit in communication with said reaction vessel transport unit, comprising means for shaking and hybridizing said sample with said DNA probe in said reaction vessel; E--a B/F separation unit composed of said sample-reagent unit A, said sample-reagent dispense unit B, and said hybridization unit D, the combination of which comprises means to separate unhybridized (F) from hybridized (B) sample nucleic acid that is bound to said reaction vessel; and F--a light measurement unit in communication with said hybridization unit, comprising means to measure the optical change of the contents of said reaction vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13)
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12. a B/F separation and washing step wherein,
(a) the content of the reaction vessel after the hybridization is sucked with a discharge nozzle of the sample-reagent dispense unit and discharged, a washing solution is sucked from a washing solution reservoir with a washing solution nozzle of said dispense unit and injected into said reaction vessel, the measurement rack is passed to an incubator part by a circulation mechanism, wherein said measurement rack is heated and shaken to allow B/F separation in said reaction vessel, and (b) the washing solution is sucked with the discharge nozzle from the reaction vessel after the B/F separation and discharged; - and
4. a light measurement step wherein, (a) an enzyme substrate is sucked from a reagent pack in the reagent cassette with a tip nozzle equipped with a tip of the sample-reagent dispense unit and injected into the reaction vessel, the measurement rack is passed to an incubator part by a circulation mechanism, wherein said measurement rack is heated, and (b) the measurement rack is transported to a light measurement part by the circulation mechanism, wherein said light measurement part measures light change in the reaction vessel by means of a light measurement device.
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Specification