Droplet-based surface modification and washing

• US 8,541,176 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2008
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Duke University, Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc. (Illumina Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Duke University, Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc. (Illumina Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pamula, Vamsee K., Srinivasan, Vijay, Eckhardt, Allen E., Pollack, Michael G., Fair, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAM, ANN Y
• Application Number:
  US12/113,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20120165238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3021 the components to be mixed being combined in a single independent droplet, e.g. these droplets being divided by a non-miscible fluid or consisting of independent droplets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3031 using electro-hydrodynamic [EHD] or electro-kinetic [EKI] phenomena to mix or move the fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0673 Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0424 Dielectrophoretic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0427 Electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0436 acoustic forces, e.g. surface acoustic waves [SAW]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0442 thermal energy, e.g. vaporisation, bubble jet
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0448 : Marangoni flow; Thermocapillary effect
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0268 : using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 : characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502723 : characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 : specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502784 : specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics automatic analysis using a stream of discrete samples in a tube system G01N35/08
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502792 : for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension
• 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 1/686 : Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6869 : Methods for sequencing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00158 : Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 : Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/26 : by investigating electrochemical variables; by using electrolysis or electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3271 : Amperometric enzyme electrodes for analytes in body fluids, e.g. glucose in blood amperometry per se G01N27/49; aspects concerning the enzyme reagent C12Q1/001
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/416 : Systems G01N27/27 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/447 : using electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 : provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to droplet-based surface modification and washing. According to one embodiment, a method of modifying a surface on a droplet microactuator is provided, wherein the method includes executing one or more droplet operations to bring a droplet comprising a surface-modifying agent into contact with the surface. According to another embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes a sample or reagent immobilized on a surface thereof and arranged such that a droplet on the droplet microactuator may contact the surface. According to yet another embodiment, a method of removing a substance from a surface to which the substance is bound is provided, the method including conducting one or more droplet operations to contact a droplet with the surface, the droplet comprising a solution for eluting the substance from the surface

Claims

1. A droplet microactuator comprising:

(a) an oil filler fluid;

(b) one or more electrodes arranged to conduct electrowetting-mediated droplet operations; and

(c) a substance immobilized on a surface of the droplet microactuator, in contact with the oil filler fluid, and arranged such that a droplet on the droplet microactuator in the oil filler fluid may contact the surface via electrowetting-mediated droplet operations and thereby reduce the quantity of the substance in contact with the surface.

2. The droplet microactuator of claim 1 wherein the surface is arranged such that the droplet may contact the surface during a droplet operation.

3. The droplet microactuator of claim 1 wherein the substance is selected from the group consisting of proteins and peptides.

4. The droplet microactuator of claim 1 wherein the substance is selected from the group consisting of antibodies and antigens.

5. The droplet microactuator of claim 1 wherein the substance is selected from the group consisting of nucleic acids.

6. The droplet microactuator of claim 1 wherein the substance comprises a dried sample or reagent.

7. A droplet microactuator comprising:

(a) an oil filler fluid;

(b) one or more electrodes arranged to conduct electrowetting-mediated droplet operations; and

(c) a substance immobilized on a surface of the droplet microactuator, in contact with the oil filler fluid, and arranged such that a droplet on the droplet microactuator in the oil filler fluid may contact the surface via electrowetting-mediated droplet operations and thereby reduce the quantity of the substance in contact with the surface, wherein the surface comprises a surface of one of a top plate or a bottom plate of the droplet microactuator.