Apparatus and method for electrophoresis

• US 5,865,974 A
• Filed: 04/26/1996
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Limited (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ethrog Biotechnology Limited
• Inventors: Yogev, Uri, Cabilly, Shmuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorgos, Kathryn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Edna
• Application Number:
  US08/639,869
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 204/450, 204/456, 204/606, 204/612, 204/615, 204/621
• US Class Current: 204/456
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 57/02 by electrophoresis treatment of water, waste water, sewage or sludge by electrophoresis C02F1/469; electrophoretic production of compounds or non-metals C25B7/00; investigating or analysing materials by using electrophoresis G01N27/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44704 Details; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means

Abstract

A substantially closed cassette for conducting therein electrophoresis separation which includes a closed chamber, the chamber includes therein a body of gel, at least one ion source having a volume smaller than the volume of the gel for providing ions for driving the electrophoresis separation and electrodes for connecting the cassette to an external electrical power source, thereby enabling to drive the electrophoresis separation.

Claims

1. Apparatus for conducting electrophoresis separation therein, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having at least bottom and side walls defining a chamber, said chamber comprises, in contact therebetween, prior to said electrophoresis separation;

a body of separating gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation;

at least one ion source for providing ions for driving said electrophoresis separation, said at least one ion source having a volume smaller than a volume of said body of gel; and

electrodes for connecting said chamber to an external electrical power source, to enable driving said electrophoresis separation.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a cover for closing said chamber to provide a closed apparatus.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said chamber or cover further comprises at least one opening therein for introducing at least one test sample into said body of gel.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said cover is transparent to ultra violet (UV) radiation.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said cover comprises at least one vent hole which is closed prior to an electrophoresis test and which a user opens just before said electrophoresis test.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises a strip of conductive material.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 7 wherein said at least one ion source comprises a body of ion exchange matrix.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said body of ion exchange matrix comprises:

a body of cation exchange matrix for providing cations for driving said electrophoresis separation; and

a body of anion exchange matrix for providing anions for driving said electrophoresis separation.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said body of cation exchange matrix is at one end of said gel and said body of anion exchange matrix is on a second end of said body of separating gel.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said cation exchange matrix and said anion exchange matrix comprise particles immersed in a support matrix.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said support matrix comprises a gel similar to said body of separating gel.

13. Apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising a body of gel of low gel strength, disposed between said chamber and said anion exchange matrix, said body of gel of low gel strength shrinks during said electrophoresis separation to provide a volume in which gases produced at a vicinity of an anode of said chamber accumulate.

14. Apparatus according to claim 9 and further comprising a buffer solution in contact with said body of gel, said at least one of said body of ion exchange matrix and said electrodes.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said buffer is a solution tris-acetate ethylendiamine tetra acetic acid buffer solution, said cation exchange matrix releases Tris cations and said anion exchange matrix releases acetate anions.

16. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said cation exchange matrix further comprises ethidium cations.

19. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 7 wherein said chamber is transparent to ultra violet (UV) radiation.

21. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 7 wherein said apparatus is generally flat.

22. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 7 wherein said apparatus is disposable.

23. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 7 wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises a conductive material for adsorbing at least part of at least one gas produced during said electrophoresis separation.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said at least one of said electrodes comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, palladium, an alloy containing aluminum and an alloy containing palladium.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said gases include oxygen created at a vicinity of one of said electrodes operating as an anode during said electrophoresis separation and reacting with said aluminum.

26. Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said gases include hydrogen created at a vicinity of one of said electrodes operating as a cathode during said electrophoresis separation and wherein said hydrogen is adsorbed by said palladium.

27. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 7 further comprising means enabling visualization of said electrophoresis separation.

7. A substantially closed cassette apparatus for conducting therein electrophoresis separation comprising:

a substantially closed chamber which comprises therein, prior to said electrophoresis separation;

a body of separating gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation;

at least one ion source for providing ions for driving said electrophoresis separation, said at least one ion source having a volume smaller than a volume of said body of gel; and

electrodes for connecting said cassette to an external electrical power source, to enable driving said electrophoresis separation.

17. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said chamber further comprises at least one opening therein for introducing a test sample into said body of gel.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 or 3 further comprising a comb which closes said at least one opening prior to the electrophoresis separation.

20. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said chamber comprises at least one vent hole which is closed prior to an electrophoresis test and which a user opens just before said electrophoresis test.

28. Apparatus for conducting electrophoresis separation therein, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having at least bottom and side walls defining a chamber, said chamber comprises, therein;

a body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation;

at least one ion source for providing ions for driving said electrophoresis, separation said at least one ion source having a volume smaller than a volume of said body of gel; and

electrodes for connecting said chamber to an external electrical power source, to enable driving said electrophoresis separation,

wherein said at least one ion source comprises a closed reservoir having therein a buffer solution having higher concentration than a concentration of a buffer solution of said body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation, said closed reservoir being opened just before said electrophoresis separation for providing said ions for driving said electrophoresis separation.

29. Apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said closed reservoir is a breakable ampoule.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29 wherein said breakable ampoule is surrounded by a space, said space at least partially filled with said buffer solution in a concentration generally similar to that of said body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation.

31. Apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said buffer solution is a tris-acetate ethylendiamine tetra acetic acid buffer solution.

32. Apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said closed reservoir having therein said buffer solution also comprising ethidium cations.

33. An electrophoresis method comprising the steps of:

introducing at least one test sample into a body of gel;

applying an electrical field to said body of gel; and

driving an electrophoresis separation by providing ions required for driving said electrophoresis separation by at least one ion source having a volume smaller than a volume of said gel.

34. A method for producing a generally closed cassette for conducting electrophoresis separation therein comprising:

providing a housing having bottom and side walls defining an open chamber;

assembling within said chamber therein a body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation, at least one ion source for providing ions for driving said electrophoresis separation, said at least one ion source having a volume smaller than a volume of said body of gel and electrodes for connecting said chamber to an external electrical power source; and

closing said open housing with a cover, to form a generally closed cassette for carrying said electrophoresis separation therein.

35. A closed cassette apparatus for conducting therein electrophoresis separation comprising:

a closed chamber which comprises therein;

a body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation;

at least one ion source for providing ions for driving said electrophoresis separation; and

electrodes for connecting said cassette apparatus to an external electrical power source, to enable driving said electrophoresis separation,

wherein said at least one ion source comprises a closed reservoir having therein a buffer solution having higher concentration than a concentration of a buffer solution of said body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation, said closed reservoir which a user opens just before said electrophoresis separation for providing said ions for driving said electrophoresis separation;

and wherein said closed reservoir is a breakable ampoule.

36. Apparatus according to claim 35 wherein said buffer solution is a tris-acetate ethylendiamine tetra buffer solution.

37. Apparatus according to claim 35 wherein said buffer also comprises ethidium cations.

38. Apparatus for conducting electrophoresis separation therein, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having at least bottom and side walls defining a chamber, said chamber comprises therein;

a body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation;

at least one ion source for providing ions for driving said electrophoresis separation, said at least one ion source having a volume smaller than a volume of said body of gel; and

electrodes for connecting said chamber to an external electrical power source, to enable driving said electrophoresis separation,

wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises a strip of conductive material mounted on a ramp, said ramp being inclined at an angle relative to said bottom wall, to direct gases produced at the vicinity of said step during said electrophoresis separation to an empty volume receiving said gases.

39. A substantially closed cassette for conducting therein electrophoresis separation comprising:

a substantially closed chamber which comprises therein;

a body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation;

at least one ion source for providing ions for driving said electrophoresis separation; and

electrodes for connecting said chamber to an external electrical power source, to enable driving said electrophoresis separation,

wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises a strip of conductive material mounted on a ramp, said ramp being inclined at an angle relative to a bottom wall of said closed chamber, to direct gases produced at a vicinity of said strip during said electrophoresis separation to an empty volume receiving said gases.

40. Apparatus for conducting electrophoresis separation therein, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having at least bottom and side walls defining a chamber, said chamber comprises therein;

a body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation;

at least one ion source for providing ions for driving said electrophoresis separation, said at least one ion source having a volume smaller than a volume of said body Of gel;

electrodes for connecting said chamber to an external electrical power source, to enable driving said electrophoresis separation;

wherein said chamber further includes at least one empty volume for accumulating gases produced during said electrophoresis separation.

41. A substantially closed cassette for conducting therein electrophoresis separation comprising:

a substantially closed chamber which comprises therein;

a body of gel for carrying therein said electrophoresis separation;

at least one ion source for providing ions for driving said electrophoresis separation; and

electrodes for connecting said chamber to an external electrical power source, to enable driving said electrophoresis separation,

wherein said closed chamber further includes at least one empty volume for accumulating gases produced during said electrophoresis separation.