Device and method for photoactivation

• US 6,258,319 B1
• Filed: 09/04/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cerus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cerus Corporation
• Inventors: Hearst, David Paul, Cimino, George D., Isaacs, Stephen T., Hearst, John Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Thornton, Krisanne
• Application Number:
  US09/148,520
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 422/24, 422/22, 422/44, 250/455.11
• US Class Current: 422/22
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/123 Ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 493/04 Ortho-condensed systems
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6848 characterised by the means for preventing contamination or increasing the specificity or sensitivity of an amplification reaction
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2521/531 Glycosylase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2523/101 Crosslinking agents, e.g. psoralen
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/412 using field-effect transistors only
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 10/00 Static random access memory [SRAM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 204/902 Production of desired compound by wave energy in presence of a chemically designated nonreactant chemical treating agent, excluding water, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, methylene chloride or benzene

Abstract

A device comprising a light source, a sample holder and a temperature control chamber. The sample holder supports the vessels in a fixed relationship relative to the light source. The temperature control chamber surrounds the sample holder and vessels, so that a temperature control fluid may be passed around the sample vessels effectively maintaining the temperature of the sample vessels within a desired temperature range.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a) a fluorescent source of electromagnetic radiation capable of emitting wavelengths between 320 nm and 400 nm;

b) a support for liquid samples positioned such that said samples can be irradiated by said electromagnetic radiation for a treatment period, wherein said support comprises UV transmitting plastic;

c) a compartment positioned interior to said housing, said compartment configured to maintain the temperature of said liquid sample within a desired temperature range during said treatment period; and

d) an opaque housing for containing said compartment, said support, and said source of electromagnetic radiation.

2. A method for treating a liquid sample, comprising:

a) providing i) a liquid sample comprising a psoralen; and

ii) a device comprising a fluorescent source of electromagnetic radiation capable of emitting wavelengths between 320 nm and 400 nm, a support for liquid samples, said support comprising UV transmitting plastic and positioned such that said samples can be irradiated by said electromagnetic radiation, and an opaque housing for containing said source of electromagnetic radiation;

b) placing said liquid sample on said support; and

c) irradiating said liquid sample for a treatment period while maintaining the temperature of said liquid sample within a desired temperature range during said treatment period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said liquid sample comprises nucleic acid.

4. A system for treating a liquid sample, comprising:

a) a liquid sample comprising a furocoumarin and a viral nucleic acid sequence;

b) a fluorescent source of electromagnetic radiation that emits wavelengths between 320 nm and 400 nm;

c) a support for said liquid sample positioned such that the sample can be irradiated by said electromagnetic radiation for a treatment period, wherein said support comprises UV transmitting plastic;

d) an opaque housing for containing said support and said source of electromagnetic radiation; and

e) a compartment positioned interior to said housing, said compartment configured to maintain the temperature of said liquid sample within a desired temperature range during said treatment period.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein after said treatment period, some of said furocoumarin is covalently bound to a portion of said viral nucleic acid sequence.