Microarray hybridization chamber

• US 6,420,114 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Incyte Corporation
• Inventors: Titsworth, Lozen, Bjeldanes, Erik, Bedilion, Tod, Arnold, Lyle, Gilliland, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding, David A.
• Application Number:
  US09/454,520
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 122/292, 122/307, 366/182.1, 366/182.2, 366/262, 366/144, 417/207, 417/208, 417/52, 422/102, 422/104, 436/174, 436/180, 436/181, 435/288.3, 435/286.7, 435/6, 435/91.1
• US Class Current: 435/6.11
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/40 Mixers using gas or liquid agitation, e.g. with air supply tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/451 wherein the mixture is directly exposed to an electromagnetic field without use of a stirrer, e.g. for material comprising ferromagnetic particles or for molten metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00481 by the use of moving stirrers within the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00488 by rotation of the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00493 by sparging or bubbling with gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00529 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00608 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0061 The surface being organic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/06 Libraries containing nucleotides or polynucleotides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for mixing a film of fluid, particularly a film of chemical, biochemical, or biological fluids, undergoing a reaction. The apparatus comprises a means for creating a bubble within the film of fluid, and moving the bubble in the fluid, thereby mixing the fluid.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mixing a fluid, the apparatus comprising:

a first substrate comprising a first inner surface functionalized with a microarray of reactive moieties;

a substantially parallel second substrate also comprising a second inner surface, wherein said first and second inner surfaces bound a closed chamber there between, said chamber adapted to retain a quantity of fluid so that the fluid is in contact with both surfaces;

at least one bubble disposed within said chamber; and

means for moving the chamber so that the bubble moves relative to the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the closed chamber has a thickness of less than about 2 millimeters.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the closed chamber has a thickness of less than about 250 microns.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein both inner surfaces are functionalized with reactive moieties.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bubble comprises a gas.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bubble comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of air, nitrogen, argon, or oxygen.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bubble comprises a non-miscible liquid.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bubble is a solid particle.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bubble is produced by introducing a volume of the fluid that is less than the total volume of the closed chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a flexible seal between the inner surface of the first substrate and the inner surface of the second substrate.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for introducing fluid into the closed chamber.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are individually comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, silicon, fused silica, plastic, ceramic, and metal, and a combination thereof.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are individually comprised of glass.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for moving the bubble is selected from the group consisting of rotating the apparatus about an axis, rolling the apparatus, and reciprocally shaking the apparatus.

23. A method for mixing a fluid, comprising:

providing an apparatus according to claim 1;

introducing a fluid into the closed chamber;

introducing a bubble within the fluid; and

moving the bubble in the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.

25. A method for mixing a fluid, comprising:

providing an apparatus according to claim 3;

introducing a fluid into the closed chamber,

introducing a bubble within the fluid; and

moving the bubble in the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.

27. A method for mixing a fluid, comprising:

providing an apparatus according to claim 5;

introducing a fluid into the closed chamber;

introducing a bubble within the fluid; and

moving the bubble in the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.

29. A method for mixing a fluid, comprising:

providing an apparatus according to claim 9;

introducing a fluid into the closed chamber;

introducing a bubble within the fluid; and

moving the bubble in the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.

30. A method for mixing a fluid, comprising:

providing an apparatus according to claim 22;

introducing a fluid into the closed chamber;

introducing a bubble within the fluid; and

moving the bubble in the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.

2. An apparatus for mixing a fluid, the apparatus comprising:

a first substrate comprising a first inner surface functionalized with a microarray of reactive moieties;

a substantially parallel second substrate also comprising a second inner surface, wherein said first and second inner surfaces bound a closed chamber there between, said chamber adapted to retain a quantity of fluid so that the fluid is in contact with both surfaces;

at least one bubble disposed within said chamber, wherein said bubble is a magnetic particle; and

means for moving the bubble relative to the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the closed chamber has a thickness of less than about 2 millimeters.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the closed chamber has a thickness of less than about 250 microns.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein both inner surfaces are functionalized with reactive moieties.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, further including a flexible seal between the inner surface of the first substrate and the inner surface of the second substrate.

17. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising means for introducing fluid into the closed chamber.

19. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are individually comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, silicon, fused silica, plastic, ceramic, and metal, and a combination thereof.

21. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are individually comprised of glass.

24. A method for mixing a fluid, comprising:

providing an apparatus according to claim 2;

introducing a fluid into the closed chamber;

introducing a bubble within the fluid; and

moving the bubble in the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.

26. A method for mixing a fluid, comprising:

providing an apparatus according to claim 4;

introducing a fluid into the closed chamber;

introducing a bubble within the fluid; and

moving the bubble in the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.

28. A method for mixing a fluid, comprising:

providing an apparatus according to claim 6;

introducing a fluid into the closed chamber;

introducing a bubble within the fluid; and

moving the bubble in the fluid to effect mixing of the fluid.