Assay cartridges and methods of using the same
First Claim
1. An assay cartridge for conducting a PCR analysis of a sample, said cartridge comprising a fluidic network including(a) a plurality of air vent ports arranged as one or two rows of apertures on the cartridge,(b) a primary flow path comprising, from a proximal to a distal end, an inlet, a purification zone, a PCR reaction zone, and a detection zone, wherein said primary flow path further comprises one or more of said air vent ports,(c) one or more chambers connected to an additional one of said air vent port, and(d) one or more fluidic conduits each intersecting said primary flow path and fluidically connected to said chamber, wherein a fluidic conduit of said one or more fluidic conduits comprises a multi-conduit fluidic junction including (i) a first conduit connecting said primary flow path and said chamber, and (ii) a second conduit connecting said chamber to said additional air vent port, wherein said fluidic conduit is configured to be in communication with an optical fluid sensor at a position distal from said fluidic junction and a metered volume of fluid is defined by the distance between said fluidic junction and said distal position,wherein said PCR reaction zone comprises a first temperature controlled zone and a second temperature controlled zone, and a restriction zone positioned between said first and second temperature controlled zones, and said fluidic network is configured to shuttle a metered volume of fluid between said first and second temperature controlled zones during a PCR reaction conducted in said PCR reaction zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Assay cartridges are described that have purification, reaction, and detection zones and other fluidic components which can include sample chambers, waste chambers, conduits, vents, reagent chambers, reconstitution chambers and the like. The assay cartridges are used to conduct multiplexed nucleic acid measurements. Also described are kits including such cartridges, methods of using the same, and a reader configured to analyze an assay conducted using an assay cartridge.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. An assay cartridge for conducting a PCR analysis of a sample, said cartridge comprising a fluidic network including
(a) a plurality of air vent ports arranged as one or two rows of apertures on the cartridge, (b) a primary flow path comprising, from a proximal to a distal end, an inlet, a purification zone, a PCR reaction zone, and a detection zone, wherein said primary flow path further comprises one or more of said air vent ports, (c) one or more chambers connected to an additional one of said air vent port, and (d) one or more fluidic conduits each intersecting said primary flow path and fluidically connected to said chamber, wherein a fluidic conduit of said one or more fluidic conduits comprises a multi-conduit fluidic junction including (i) a first conduit connecting said primary flow path and said chamber, and (ii) a second conduit connecting said chamber to said additional air vent port, wherein said fluidic conduit is configured to be in communication with an optical fluid sensor at a position distal from said fluidic junction and a metered volume of fluid is defined by the distance between said fluidic junction and said distal position, wherein said PCR reaction zone comprises a first temperature controlled zone and a second temperature controlled zone, and a restriction zone positioned between said first and second temperature controlled zones, and said fluidic network is configured to shuttle a metered volume of fluid between said first and second temperature controlled zones during a PCR reaction conducted in said PCR reaction zone.
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47. A method of conducting a PCR analysis of a sample in an assay cartridge, said cartridge comprising a fluidic network and a plurality of chambers, wherein said fluidic network comprises:
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(a) a plurality of air vent ports arranged as one or two rows of apertures on the cartridge, (b) a primary flow path comprising, from a proximal to a distal end, an inlet, a purification zone, a PCR reaction zone, and a detection zone, wherein said primary flow path further comprises one or more of said air vent ports, (c) one or more chambers connected to an additional one of said air vent port, and (d) one or more fluidic conduits each intersecting said primary flow path and fluidically connected to said chamber, wherein a fluidic conduit of said one or more fluidic conduits comprises a multi-conduit fluidic junction including (i) a first conduit connecting said primary flow path and said chamber, and (ii) a second conduit connecting said chamber to said additional air vent port, wherein said fluidic conduit is configured to be in communication with an optical fluid sensor at a position distal from said fluidic junction and a metered volume of fluid is defined by the distance between said fluidic junction and said distal position, wherein said PCR reaction zone comprises a first temperature controlled zone and a second temperature controlled zone, and a restriction zone positioned between said first and second temperature controlled zones, and said fluidic network is configured to shuttle a metered volume of fluid between said first and second temperature controlled zones during a PCR reaction conducted in said PCR reaction zone, wherein said one or more chambers include;
a sample chamber, a lysis reagent chamber, a lysis chamber, a purification reagent chamber, a plurality of PCR reagent chambers, and one or more waste chambers;said method comprising the steps of; (i) metering a volume of sample from said sample chamber to said lysis chamber; (ii) metering a volume of lysis buffer from said lysis reagent chamber to said lysis chamber; (iii) lysing said volume of sample; (iv) moving said lysate from said lysis chamber to said purification zone; (v) extracting nucleic acid from said lysate; (vi) purifying said nucleic acid; (vii) moving said a purified nucleic acid mixture to said PCR reaction zone; (viii) contacting said purified nucleic acid mixture with one or more PCR reagents; (ix) shuttling said mixture formed in step (viii) between said first and second temperature controlled zones; (ix) repeating steps (viii) and (ix) to form an amplified product mixture; (x) contacting said amplified product mixture with a detection reagent; (xi) moving said mixture formed in step (x) to said detection zone; and (xii) measuring a signal from said detection zone. - View Dependent Claims (48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
(b) a second purification reagent chamber conduit connecting said purification reagent chamber and a purification reagent chamber air vent port; (ii) an integrated purification membrane positioned in said primary flow path of said purification zone; and (iii) a waste multi-conduit fluidic junction including (a) a first waste chamber conduit connecting said primary flow path and said waste chamber; and (b) a second waste chamber conduit connecting said waste chamber and a waste chamber air vent port; and said extracting step (v) comprises (xx) capturing lysate on said membrane; (yy) removing eluent to said first waste chamber; and (zz) washing said membrane with one or more purification reagents.
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50. The method of claim 47 wherein said cartridge further comprises a plurality of reconstitution chambers each comprising lyophilized PCR reagents and contacting step (viii) further comprises reconstituting one or more of said lyophilized PCR reagents.
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51. The method of claim 50 wherein said cartridge further comprises a first reconstitution chamber comprising a first set of PCR reagents selected from reverse transcriptase and dNTPs, and said method further comprises reconstituting said first set of PCR reagents in said contacting step (viii) and shuttling said mixture formed in said contacting step between said first and second temperature controlled zone.
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52. The method of claim 51 wherein said cartridge further comprises a second reconstitution chamber comprising a second set of PCR reagents selected from dNTPs, primers, and polymerase, and said method further comprises reconstituting said second set of PCR reagents in said contacting step (viii) and shuttling said mixture formed in said contacting step between said first and second temperature controlled zone.
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53. The method of claim 52 wherein said cartridge further comprises a third reconstitution chamber comprising a third set of PCR reagents comprising additional primers, and said method further comprises reconstituting said third set of PCR reagents in said contacting step (viii) and shuttling said mixture formed in said contacting step between said first and second reaction temperature controlled zone.
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54. The method of claim 53 wherein said cartridge further comprises a fourth reconstitution chamber comprising a fourth set of PCR reagents selected from EDTA, and salt, and said method further comprises reconstituting said fourth set of PCR reagents in said contacting step (viii) and shuttling said mixture formed in said contacting step between said first and second reaction temperature controlled zone.
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55. The method of claim 54 wherein said cartridge further comprises a fifth reconstitution chamber comprising detection reagents and said contacting step (x) comprises reconstituting said detection reagents with said amplified product mixture.
Specification