Nucleic acid amplification reaction station for disposable test devices

• US 7,214,529 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biomerieux Incorporated (Compagnie Merieux Alliance SAS)
• Original Assignee: Biomerieux Incorporated (Compagnie Merieux Alliance SAS)
• Inventors: Cotter, Christopher, Catanzariti, Luigi, Graziano, Louis, Gennari, Fabio, Kluttz, Bryan W., Dachaud, Jacques, McKinley, Geoff A., Guy, Michel, Jaravel, Cecile, Colin, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US11/180,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20050244887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/286.5
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/026 Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0633 with moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0644 rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 pinch valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• 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: B01L 7/525 with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• 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: G01N 2035/0436 with pre-packaged reagents, i.e. test-packs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes

Abstract

An instrument for conducting nucleic acid amplification reactions in a disposable test device. The test device includes a first reaction chamber containing a first nucleic acid amplification reagent (e.g., primers and nucleotides) and a second reaction chamber either containing, or in fluid communication, with a second nucleic acid amplification reagent (e.g., an amplification enzyme such as RT). The instrument includes a support structure receiving the test device. A temperature control system maintains the first reaction chamber at a first elevated temperature but simultaneously maintains the second nucleic acid amplification reagent at a second temperature lower than the first temperature so as to preserve the second nucleic acid amplification reagent. An actuator operates on a fluid conduit in the test device to place the first and second reaction chambers in fluid communication with each other after a reaction has occurred in the first reaction chamber at the first temperature. A pneumatic system is also provided that assists in fluid transfer of a reaction solution from the first chamber to the second chamber.

Claims

1. A nucleic acid reaction processing station for processing nucleic acid reactions occurring in a plurality of disposable test devices having a nucleic acid sample contained therein and comprising a first reaction chamber, a second reaction chamber and an enzyme pellet well, said station comprisinga plurality of individual disposable test device receiving locations, each of said locations adapted for receiving an individual one of said disposable devices, andan actuator operative on said test devices to (a) open fluid communication between said first reaction chamber and said second reaction chamber and (b) open fluid communication between the enzyme pellet well and the second reaction chamber, andat least one thermal module comprising (a) a thermo-electric heat source and (b) at least one thermal transfer structure positioned adjacent to at least one of said plurality of individual disposable test device receiving locations so as to be in direct thermal contact with said second reaction chamber of a disposable test device received in said disposable test device receiving location, anda temperature control system operative of said thermo-electric heat source so as to produce a desired temperature profile to said at least one thermal transfer structure and thereby a desired temperature profile to said second reaction chamber of said disposable test device in accordance with a nucleic acid reaction to be performed on a sample contained in the disposable test device.

2. The station of claim 1, wherein the actuator is operative on said test devices to open fluid communication between said second reaction chamber and said enzyme pellet well to allow fluid sample to flow into the enzyme pellet well.

3. The station of claim 1, wherein said station comprises at least four separate individual disposable test device receiving locations, each of which is in direct thermal contact with a thermal structure for transferring heat to a disposable test device received in said test device receiving locations.

4. The station of claim 1, wherein said test device further comprises a plurality of wells.

5. The station of claim 1, wherein said station comprises at least four separate individual disposable test device receiving locations, each of which is in direct thermal contact with a thermal transfer structure for transferring heat to a disposable test device received in said test device receiving locations.

6. The station of claim 4, wherein a desiccant is provided in one of said wells.

7. The station of claim 1 further comprising an optical reader assembly.