Device for performing an assay, a method for manufacturing said device, and use of a membrane in the manufacture of said device

• US 6,864,102 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PamGene International BV (VitrOmics Healthcare Holding BV)
• Original Assignee: PamGene International BV (VitrOmics Healthcare Holding BV)
• Inventors: van Damme, Hendrik Sibolt, Kreuwel, Hermanus Johannes Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Christopher L.
• Application Number:
  US09/845,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20020127738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 422/57, 422/58, 435/5, 435/6, 435/7.1, 435/287.1, 435/287.2, 435/810, 436/518, 436/524, 436/525
• US Class Current: 436/518
• 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 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00497 Features relating to the solid phase supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00511 Walls of reactor vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00527 Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0059 Sequential processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00619 using hydrophilic or hydrophobic regions
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00621 by physical means, e.g. trenches, raised areas
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00626 Covalent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0063 Other, e.g. van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00637 by coating it with another layer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00641 the porous medium being continuous, e.g. porous oxide substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6834 Enzymatic or biochemical coupling of nucleic acids to a solid phase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6837 using probe arrays or probe chips C12Q1/6874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/703 : Viruses associated with AIDS
• 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: G01N 33/551 : the carrier being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/81 : Packaged device or kit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for performing an assay, which device comprises a substrate having oriented through-going channels, said channels opening out on a surface for sample application, the channels in at least one area of the surface for sample application being provided with a first binding substance capable of binding to an analyte. The object of the present invention is to provide a substrate having both a high channel density and a high porosity, allowing high density arrays comprising different first binding substances to be applied to the surface for sample application. More in particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a device comprising a relatively cheap substrate that does not require the use of any typical microfabrication technology and, that offers an improved control over the liquid distribution over the surface of the substrate. The above objects are achieved with a device as mentioned above wherein the porous substrate is an electrochemically manufactured metal oxide membrane.

Claims

1. A method for the detection of an analyte in a sample the method comprising the steps of

a) contacting the sample with a device comprising a substrate having through-going channels, the channels opening our on a surface for sample application, the channels in at least one area of the surface for sample application being provided with a binding substance capable of binding to an analyte, wherein the binding substance is within the through-going channels in the substrate;

b) passing the sample back and forth through the membrane; and

c) detecting whether binding has occurred between the binding substance and the analyte.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyte comprises a nucleic acid, an antibody, an antigen, a receptor, a hapten or ligand for a receptor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the analyte is derivable from a human immunodeficiency virus.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein after step b) but before step c), the sample is again passed back and forth through the membrane in a manner sufficient to allow binding to take place between the binding substance and the analyte to be detected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is an electrochemically manufactured metal oxide membrane and the binding substance is covalently bound to the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the metal oxide membrane is comprised of aluminum oxide.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is an electrochemically manufactured metal oxide membrane and the binding substance is not covalently bound to the substrate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the metal oxide membrane is comprised of aluminum oxide.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding substance is synthesized in situ.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a compound for synthesizing the binding substance is applied to a particular area using ink-jet technology.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the compound is applied using electrostatic attraction.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding substance is applied to a particular area using ink-jet technology.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the binding substance is applied using electrostatic attraction.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the results of step to determine sequence information of a nucleic acid.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding substance is an oligonucleotide.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding substance is a sequence of amino acids.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding substance is an antibody.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding substance is an antigen.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding substance is a receptor or a ligand for a receptor.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding substance is a hapten.