Systems and methods for monitoring the amplification and dissociation behavior of DNA molecules
First Claim
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1. In an environment comprising (i) a chip comprising a microchannel and (ii) an image sensor having a pixel array, wherein at least a portion of the microchannel is within a field of view of the pixel array, a nucleic acid analysis method comprising:
- introducing a sample of a solution comprising nucleic acid into the microchannel;
forcing the sample to move though the microchannel;
defining a first window of the pixel array;
defining a second window of the pixel array, wherein the center of the second window is spaced apart from the center of the first window; and
while the sample is moving through the microchannel, performing the steps of;
(a) exposing the first window of the pixel array to light emitted from the sample at a time when the sample is within a field of view of first window and then selectively outputting first image data from the pixel array, wherein the step of selectively outputting the first image data from the pixel array comprises outputting data from only the first window of the pixel array; and
(b) after performing step (a), exposing the second window of the pixel array to light emitted from the sample at a time when the sample is within a field of view of the second window and then selectively outputting second image data from the pixel array, wherein the step of selectively outputting the second image data from the pixel array comprises outputting data from only the second window of the pixel array.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring the amplification of DNA molecules and the dissociation behavior of the DNA molecules.
34 Citations
12 Claims
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1. In an environment comprising (i) a chip comprising a microchannel and (ii) an image sensor having a pixel array, wherein at least a portion of the microchannel is within a field of view of the pixel array, a nucleic acid analysis method comprising:
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introducing a sample of a solution comprising nucleic acid into the microchannel; forcing the sample to move though the microchannel; defining a first window of the pixel array; defining a second window of the pixel array, wherein the center of the second window is spaced apart from the center of the first window; and while the sample is moving through the microchannel, performing the steps of; (a) exposing the first window of the pixel array to light emitted from the sample at a time when the sample is within a field of view of first window and then selectively outputting first image data from the pixel array, wherein the step of selectively outputting the first image data from the pixel array comprises outputting data from only the first window of the pixel array; and (b) after performing step (a), exposing the second window of the pixel array to light emitted from the sample at a time when the sample is within a field of view of the second window and then selectively outputting second image data from the pixel array, wherein the step of selectively outputting the second image data from the pixel array comprises outputting data from only the second window of the pixel array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A DNA analysis system, comprising:
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a chip comprising a microchannel for receiving a sample of solution comprising nucleic acid and for providing a path for the sample to traverse; an image sensor having a pixel array, wherein at least a portion of the microchannel is within a field of view of the pixel array; and an image sensor controller configured to;
(a) read only a first window of the pixel array at time when the sample is within a field of view of the first window, thereby producing first image data, and (b) read only a second window of the pixel array at time when the sample is within a field of view of the second window,wherein the center of the second window is spaced apart from the center of the first window, and wherein the image sensor controller is configured to determine a size for the first window, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on the length of the sample, and the image sensor controller is configured to determine a location of the center of the second window, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on a speed at which the sample moves through the channel.
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12. A DNA analysis method comprising:
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introducing a sample of a solution comprising nucleic acid into a microchannel; causing the sample to move though the microchannel; defining a first window of a pixel array of an image sensor; defining a second window of the pixel array, wherein the center of the second window is spaced apart from the center of the first window; while the sample is moving through the microchannel, performing the steps of; (a) windowing the image sensor so that image data from the first window is output to a data buffer, wherein said image data comprises data from which the intensity of emissions from the sample can be determined using an image processor; and (b) after performing step (a), windowing the image sensor so that image data from the second window is output to a data buffer, wherein said image data comprises data from which the intensity of emissions from the sample can be determined using an image processor; wherein the step of defining the first window of the pixel array comprises determining the size of the window, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on the length of the sample, and the step of defining the second window of the pixel array comprises determining the location of the center of the second window, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on a speed at which the sample moves through the microchannel.
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Specification