Method for separating and detecting an analyte

• US 8,476,015 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems Inc (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems Inc (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Belz, Renato, Gisler, Andreas, Huesler, Robert, Knobel, Rolf, Thalmann, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Whisenant, Ethan C
• Application Number:
  US12/963,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20110306051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6.1, 435/91.2, 536/22.1, 536/25.4
• US Class Current: 435/6.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/00 Watering gardens, fields, sports grounds or the like special apparatus or adaptations for fertilising-liquids A01C23/00; nozzles or outlets, spraying apparatus B05B
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/00 Botany in general
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/04 Closures and closing means
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0275 Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
• 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 9/543 for disposable pipette tips, e.g. racks or cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/1006 by means of a solid support carrier, e.g. particles, polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00277 Special precautions to avoid contamination (e.g. enclosures, glove- boxes, sealed sample carriers, disposal of contaminated material)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00326 Analysers with modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00356 Holding samples at elevated temperature (incubation)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/103 using disposable tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0098 involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1074 arranged in a two-dimensional array

Abstract

A method for separating and analyzing an analyte is provided which comprises, in a first position, transferring a liquid sample to a multiwell plate with a pipette tip, replacing the tips in the tip rack in the same position, and re-using the pipette tips for aspirating and dispensing liquid.

Claims

1. A method for isolating an analyte that may be present in a fluid sample, the method comprising the automated steps of:

a1) engaging pipette tips of a first type which are held in a rack in a first position with a first process head;

a2) transferring said fluid sample from a sample vessel to a processing vessel with said pipette tips of a first type engaged to said first process head;

a3) placing said pipette tips in said rack and disengaging said pipette tips from said process head;

a4) transporting said rack comprising said pipette tips and said processing vessel to a second position; and

a5) engaging said pipette tips of a first type which are held in said rack with a second process head in said second position;

b) combining together a solid support material and said fluid sample in a well of said processing vessel for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to permit said analyte to be immobilized on the solid support material;

c) isolating the solid support material from other material present in the fluid sample in a separation station; and

d) purifying the analyte in the separation station by separating the fluid sample from the solid support material and washing the solid support material one or more times with a wash buffer;

wherein said pipette tip of a first type used in steps a1)-a5) is re-used after steps a1)-a5), and wherein said pipette tip of a first type is stored in said rack comprising pipette tips of a first type and pipette tips of a second type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyte is a nucleic acid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transporting of said rack comprising said pipette tips and said processing vessel to a second position occurs between a separate first cell of an analytical instrument and a separate second cell of said analytical system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said rack comprises independent chambers to accommodate pipette tips.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first type of pipette tips is re-used for the washing in step d).