Apparatuses and methods for electroporation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10731121-B2
Application number	US-201916299951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2019
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatuses, systems, and methods for performing electroporation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of cuvette holders, wherein each cuvette holder:
is configured to hold a plurality of cuvettes,
includes a first electrode,
includes a non-electrically conductive part, and
includes a plurality of second electrodes that are electrically isolated from each other and from the first electrode, and that are connected to the non-electrically conductive part;

a switching circuitry electrically coupled to each second electrode;
a power source electrically coupled to the switching circuitry; and
a controller configured to control the switching circuitry, wherein the controller includes control logic for:
causing the switching circuitry to sequentially electrically couple each second electrode to the power source while each of the other second electrodes are not electrically coupled to the power source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller further includes control logic for:
measuring a resistance between each second electrode in a first cuvette holder and the first electrode of the first cuvette holder, and
causing, after causing the switching circuitry to electrically couple one second electrode of the first cuvette holder to the power source and after measuring the resistance between the one second electrode of the first cuvette holder and the first electrode of the first cuvette holder, the switching circuitry to again electrically couple the one second electrode to the power source while each of the other second electrodes are not electrically coupled to the power source.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller further includes control logic for causing the resistance measured to be stored on a memory.

4. The apparatus of either claim 2 , wherein the controller further includes control logic for:
adjusting, based on the measurement of the resistance between the one second electrode of the first cuvette holder and the first electrode of the first cuvette holder, one or more of: a current to be applied the one second electrode and a duration of the current to be applied to the one second electrode, and
causing, according to the adjusting, the switching circuitry to again electrically couple the one second electrode of the first cuvette holder to the power source while each of the other second electrodes are not electrically coupled to the power source.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode of each cuvette holder and the plurality of second electrodes of each cuvette holder are configured such that insertion of a cuvette into a cuvette holder causes the cuvette to be electrically coupled to the first electrode of the cuvette holder into which the cuvette is inserted and to one of the plurality of second electrodes of the cuvette holder into which the cuvette is inserted.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
each cuvette holder is configured to hold N cuvettes, and
the plurality of second electrodes of each cuvette holder includes N second electrodes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the non-electrically conductive part comprises a thermoplastic or a ceramic.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
each cuvette holder further includes a plurality of cuvette positioning features that are each configured to restrain a movement of a cuvette that is inserted into the cuvette holder,
in each cuvette holder, the number of cuvette positioning features matches the number of second electrodes, and

each second electrode corresponds with one of the cuvette positioning features.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a sidewall of each cuvette holder is electrically conductive and is the first electrode.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the sidewall comprises a metal or a metal alloy.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller further includes control logic for causing the switching circuitry to alternatively electrically couple each second electrode to the power source while each of the other second electrodes are not electrically coupled to the power source.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller further includes control logic for:
causing the switching circuitry to electrically couple one second electrode to the power source for a first duration, and
causing the switching circuitry to electrically couple another second electrode to the power source for a second duration different than the first duration.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller further includes control logic for:
causing the switching circuitry to electrically couple one second electrode to the power source at a first voltage, and
causing the switching circuitry to electrically couple another second electrode to the power source at a second voltage different than the first voltage.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for each cuvette holder, the plurality of second electrodes are connected by screws to the non-electrically conductive part.

15. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of cuvette holders, wherein each cuvette holder:
is configured to hold a plurality of cuvettes,
includes a first electrode, and
includes a plurality of second electrodes that are electrically isolated from each other and from the first electrode;

a switching circuitry electrically coupled to each second electrode;
a power source electrically coupled to the switching circuitry; and
a controller configured to control the switching circuitry, wherein the controller includes control logic for:
causing the switching circuitry to sequentially electrically couple each second electrode to the power source while each of the other second electrodes are not electrically coupled to the power source,
causing the switching circuitry to electrically couple one second electrode to the power source at a first current, and
causing the switching circuitry to electrically couple another second electrode to the power source at a second current different than the first current.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first electrode of each cuvette holder and the plurality of second electrodes of each cuvette holder are configured such that insertion of a cuvette into a cuvette holder causes the cuvette to be electrically coupled to the first electrode of the cuvette holder into which the cuvette is inserted and to one of the plurality of second electrodes of the cuvette holder into which the cuvette is inserted.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
each cuvette holder is configured to hold N cuvettes, and
the plurality of second electrodes of each cuvette holder includes N second electrodes.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
each cuvette holder further includes a plurality of cuvette positioning features that are each configured to restrain a movement of a cuvette that is inserted into the cuvette holder,
in each cuvette holder, the number of cuvette positioning features matches the number of second electrodes, and
each second electrode corresponds with one of the cuvette positioning features.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein a sidewall of each cuvette holder is electrically conductive and is the first electrode.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the sidewall comprises a metal or a metal alloy.

Assignees

• Zymergen Inc

Inventors

• Cesarek John
• Lee Travis
• Hansen Richard

Classifications

• C12M35/02 Primary

  Electrical or electromagnetic means, e.g. for electroporation or for cell fusion · CPC title

• C12N15/87

  Introduction of foreign genetic material using processes not otherwise provided for, e.g. co-transformation · CPC title