Apparatus and method for simultaneously conducting multiple chemical reactions
First Claim
1. A method of simultaneously conducting multiple chemical reactions in a reaction assembly that comprises a microtiter plate of wells containing test samples and an array of sets of chemical reactants comprising the steps of:
- assembling the array of sets of chemical reactants to the microtiter plate of test samples such that the array covers open ends in the test sample wells of the microtiter plate to form a plurality of closed cells, each closed cell comprising a set of chemical reactants and a respective test sample;
sealing the microtiter plate to the array to create one or more of a gas tight, a liquid tight, and a fluid tight seal; and
mechanically agitating the sealed reaction assembly to contact the test samples with the chemical reactants in each closed cell simultaneously.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for simultaneously conducting multiple chemical reactions combine a test sample with a chemical reactant in a plurality of closed reaction chambers to produce reaction products. The method comprises assembling a plate having the test sample in a plurality of spatially arranged wells with a microarray of similarly spatially arranged surface bound chemical reactants to form the sealed apparatus having the plurality of closed reaction chambers. The apparatus is sealed such that it is gas, liquid and/or fluid tight. The seal may be accomplished with a flexible array substrate or a flexible gasket, and one or more of mechanical clamps, external fluid pressure, radiation, heat, vacuum and an adhesive. The sealed apparatus can be subjected to various reaction conditions, such as intense mechanical agitation and a controlled temperature environment. A kit comprises one or more of the elements of the apparatus.
174 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of simultaneously conducting multiple chemical reactions in a reaction assembly that comprises a microtiter plate of wells containing test samples and an array of sets of chemical reactants comprising the steps of:
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assembling the array of sets of chemical reactants to the microtiter plate of test samples such that the array covers open ends in the test sample wells of the microtiter plate to form a plurality of closed cells, each closed cell comprising a set of chemical reactants and a respective test sample;
sealing the microtiter plate to the array to create one or more of a gas tight, a liquid tight, and a fluid tight seal; and
mechanically agitating the sealed reaction assembly to contact the test samples with the chemical reactants in each closed cell simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
disassembling the reaction assembly;
rinsing the array; and
interrogating the array.
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16. The method of claim 1, wherein the microtiter plate is selected from a 96, 234, 384, and 1536 well microtiter plate and the number of sets of chemical reactants on the array match the selected microtiter plate.
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17. The method of claim 1, wherein each set of chemical reactants is an array feature that comprises a subarray having the chemical reactants arranged in a subarray pattern of subfeatures, and wherein the chemical reactant is different in at least one feature or in at least one subfeature on the array.
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18. The method of claim 1, wherein the test sample is different in at least one well of the microtiter plate.
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19. A method of simultaneously conducting multiple chemical reactions between a first chemical sample and a second chemical sample comprising the steps of:
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providing a plate having a plurality of wells spatially arranged in a surface of the plate in a well array pattern, each well having a side wall adjacent to a closed end that enclose the well except for an open end that is opposite the closed end and that is adjacent to the plate surface, the plurality of wells for receiving the first chemical sample via the open end;
providing an array of the second chemical sample, the ray comprising sets of the second chemical sample bound to and spatially arranged on a surface of an array substrate in an array pattern of features, the well array pattern being spatially similar to the feature array pattern;
assembling the array onto the plate to form a sealed reaction assembly, such that the surface of the array faces the surface of the plate and encloses the open ends of the plurality of wells to form closed cells, each closed cell comprising the first chemical sample and a respective set of the second chemical sample features, wherein the sealed reaction assembly is one or more of gas tight, liquid tight, and fluid tight; and
contacting the first chemical sample with the second chemical sample in each closed cell of the sealed reaction assembly. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
providing a gasket having a plurality of spatially arranged through holes, the arrangement of through holes being similar to the arrangement of the wells and of the array pattern, the gasket being made of a pliable material; and
introducing an aliquot of the first chemical sample into each well of the plate, the first chemical samples being fluid and partially filling the wells, and introducing a volume of a second fluid to the wells, the second fluid having a mass density that is different from a mass density of the first chemical sample and the second fluid being non-reactive with the first chemical sample and second chemical sample, wherein the step of assembling comprises the steps of;
placing the gasket on the surface of the plate, placing the array on the gasket, such that the array features are aligned with the through holes and the wells, and sealing the plate, the gasket and the array together using one or more of mechanical clamps, radiation, heat, external fluid pressure, vacuum and an adhesive, and wherein the step of contacting comprises mechanically agitating the reaction assembly to mix the first chemical sample and the second chemical sample in each closed reaction cell.
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32. The method of claim 31, wherein in the step of mechanically agitating, the difference in the mass densities of the first chemical sample and the second fluid causes mixing of the first chemical sample with the second chemical sample in each closed cell.
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33. The method of claim 31, wherein in the step of providing the gasket, the gasket further has at least one channel that interconnects at least two through holes, such that in the step of assembling, the reaction assembly has at least two closed cells that are interconnected, and wherein in the step of mechanically agitating, the agitation has an acceleration, and the step of mechanically agitating comprises incrementally increasing the acceleration in magnitude to sequentially mix the first chemical samples of the interconnected closed cells.
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34. The method of claim 33, wherein the interconnected closed cells are located adjacent to each other.
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35. The method of claim 31, wherein the gasket further comprises the adhesive on surfaces that interface with the plate and the array, and wherein the step of sealing further comprises removing the one or more of mechanical clamps, radiation, heat, external fluid pressure, and vacuum after a period of time.
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36. The method of claim 35, wherein the gasket is made of a flexible adhesive film.
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37. An apparatus for simultaneously conducting multiple chemical reactions comprising:
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a plate having a plurality of wells spatially arranged in a surface of the plate in a well array pattern, each well having a side wall adjacent to a closed end that enclose the well except for an open end that is opposite the closed end and that is adjacent to the plate surface, the plurality of wells for receiving a test sample via the open end;
an array of sets of chemical reactants, the sets of chemical reactants being bound to and spatially arranged on a surface of an array substrate in an array pattern of features, the well array pattern being spatially similar to the feature array pattern, wherein the array surface faces the plate surface and covers the open ends of the wells to form closed cells, each closed cell comprising a respective test sample and a respective set of the chemical reactants; and
a seal between the plate and the array that is one or more of gas tight, liquid tight, and fluid tight. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A kit for simultaneously conducting multiple different assays of biological materials comprising:
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an array having a plurality of sets of chemical reactants spatially arranged on an may substrate; and
a plate having a plurality of spatially arranged wells in the plate, the wells being closed at one end and open at an opposite end for receiving a sample under test, wherein the array and the plate form a multiple closed cell reaction assembly when the array is assembled to the plate, such that the array covers the open ends of the wells to form closed cells, each closed cell comprising the test sample and a respective set of the chemical reactants, the reaction assembly comprising a seal between the plate and the array that is one or more of gas tight, liquid tight, and fluid tight when assembled. - View Dependent Claims (48)
a pliable gasket having a plurality of spatially arranged through holes similar to the spatial arrangement of the wells and the sets of reactants, the pliable gasket providing the seal between the plate and the array when combined wit one or more of mechanical clamps, radiation, heat, external fluid pressure, vacuum and an adhesive;
an adhesive for sealing at least the array and the plate;
a sample biological material for a control experiment;
instructions for simultaneously conducting multiple reactions; and
instructions for assembling the array to the plate.
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49. A method of simultaneously conducting multiple chemical reactions in a reaction assembly that comprises a microtiter plate of wells containing test samples and an may of sets of chemical reactants comprising the steps of:
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assembling the array of sets of chemical reactants to the microtiter plate of test samples such that the may covers open ends in the test sample wells of the microtiter plate to form a plurality of closed cells, each closed cell comprising a set of chemical reactants and a respective test sample, the sets of chemical reactants being bound to an array surface of the array;
sealing the microtiter plate to the array to create one or more of a gas tight, a liquid tight, and a fluid tight seal; and
mechanically agitating the sealed reaction assembly to contact the test samples with the array-bound chemical reactants in each closed cell simultaneously.
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Specification