Apparatus and method for electrophoresis

• US 6,379,516 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1996
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Limited (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ethrog Biotechnology Limited
• Inventors: Cabilly, Shmuel, Yogev, Uri, Margalit, Ilana
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): STARSIAK, JOHN S
• Application Number:
  US08/734,929
• Time in Patent Office: 2,016 Days
• Field of Search: 204/600, 204/606, 204/612, 204/616, 204/621
• US Class Current: 204/456
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 57/02 by electrophoresis treatment of water, waste water, sewage or sludge by electrophoresis C02F1/469; electrophoretic production of compounds or non-metals C25B7/00; investigating or analysing materials by using electrophoresis G01N27/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44704 Details; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means

Abstract

Apparatus for conducting electrophoresis separation therein. The apparatus includes a chamber having therein a body of separating gel for carrying therein an electrophoresis separation and electrodes for connecting the chamber to an external electrical power source, thereby driving the electrophoresis separation. According to the invention at least one of the electrodes also providing ions for driving the electrophoresis separation. In one preferred embodiment, the apparatus is a cassette substantially closed before, during and after electrophoresis separation. According to an aspect of the invention the pH in the body of separating gel is substantially constant during the electrophoresis separation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for conducting electrophoresis, the apparatus comprising:

a chamber with walls defining an electrophoresis area, said electrophoresis area comprising at least one gel matrix for facilitating said electrophoresis;

electrodes within said chamber and in contact with said gel matrix, wherein said electrodes are an anode and a cathode; and

a cation exchange matrix in contact with said anode and with said gel matrix, wherein ions released from said anode are exchangeable with ions released from said body of cation exchange matrix.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said anode is copper.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said walls comprise side walls, a bottom wall and a cover so as to enable said chamber to be substantially closed before, during and after said electrophoresis.

4. An apparatus for conducting electrophoresis, the apparatus comprising:

a chamber with walls defining an electrophoresis area, said electrophoresis area comprising at least one gel matrix for facilitating said electrophoresis;

electrodes within said chamber and in contact with said gel matrix, wherein said electrodes are an anode and a cathode; and

a dye source within said gel matrix, said dye source providing a dye for enabling visualization of said electrophoresis.

5. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said walls comprise side walls, a bottom wall and a cover so as to enable said chamber to be substantially closed before, during and after said electrophoresis.

6. An apparatus for conducting electrophoresis comprising:

a chamber with walls defining an electrophoresis area, said electrophoresis area comprising at least one gel matrix for facilitating said electrophoresis;

electrodes within said chamber and in contact with said gel matrix, wherein said electrodes are an anode and a cathode; and

a matrix in contact with said cathode comprising at least one salt, wherein said salt is sparingly soluble in water;

said gel matrix comprising ions, said ions generated during an electrochemical reaction of said matrix in contact with said cathode.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said walls comprise side walls, a bottom wall and a cover so as to enable said chamber to be substantially closed before, during and after said electrophoresis.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said gel matrix is substantially free from hydrogen gas during said electrophoresis.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said anode is copper.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said salt is in contact with an anion exchange matrix for replacing anions of said salt with anions of said anion exchange matrix.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said gel is an aqueous gel and wherein said electrochemical reaction does not include water electrolysis.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said chamber further comprises a dye source within said gel matrix, said dye source providing a dye for enabling visualization of said electrophoresis.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said anode is selected from the group consisting of lead, silver and copper.

14. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said electrodes are the anode and the cathode disposed at a first and second end of said gel matrix, respectively.

15. An apparatus for conducting electrophoresis comprising:

a chamber with walls defining an electrophoresis area, said electrophoresis area comprising at least one gel matrix for facilitating said electrophoresis;

electrodes in contact within said chamber and in contact with said gel matrix, wherein said electrodes are an anode and a cathode; and

a matrix in contact with said cathode comprising at least one sparingly water-soluble salt;

said gel matrix comprising ions, said ions generated during electrochemical reactions of said anode and of said matrix in contact with said cathode.

16. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said walls comprise side walls, a bottom wall and a cover so as to enable said chamber to be substantially closed before, during and after said electrophoresis.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said anode comprises metal.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said gel is an aqueous gel and wherein said electrochemical reactions does not include water electrolysis.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said gel matrix is substantially free from hydrogen and oxygen gas during said electrophoresis.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said anode is copper.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said chamber further comprises of dye source within said gel matrix, said dye source providing a dye for enabling visualization of said electrophoresis.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said anode is selected from the group consisting of lead, silver and copper.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said electrodes are the anode and the cathode disposed at a first and second end of said body of separating gel, respectively.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said cathode comprises metal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, lead and silver.

26. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said chamber further comprises a body of stacking gel, said body of stacking gel being in contact with said body of separating gel.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, additionally comprising a cation exchange matrix, said cathode is in contact with said salt and said anode is in contact with said cation exchange matrix.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said salt is in contact with an anion exchange matrix for replacing anions of said salt with anions of said anion exchange matrix.

29. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said salt is in contact with an anion exchange matrix for replacing anions of said salt with anions of said anion exchange matrix.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of driving an electrophoresis separation does not include water electrolysis.

30. A method for electrophoresis separation, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing a test sample into a gel;

applying an electrical field to said gel; and

driving an electrophoresis separation by releasing ions required for maintaining an electrical field by degradation of a metal anode.

32. A method for electrophoresis separation, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing a test sample into a gel;

applying an electrical field to said gel; and

driving an electrophoresis separation by releasing ions required for maintaining an electrical field by degradation of a sparingly water-soluble salt in contact with a cathode.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said step of driving an electrophoresis separation does not include water electrolysis.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said step of driving an electrophoresis separation does not include water electrolysis.

34. A method for electrophoresis separation, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing a test sample into a gel;

applying an electrical field to said gel; and

driving an electrophoresis separation by releasing ions required for maintaining an electrical field by degradation of a metal anode and degradation of a sparingly water-soluble salt in contact with a cathode.