Circular extractor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016303559-A1
Application number	US-201415101337-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 26, 2014
Priority date	Dec 13, 2013
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for eluting and an analyte from a solid phase. The invention further provides methods and systems for transferring liquid analyte reagent mixtures from a solid phase to a second vessel, such as a microtitre plate well. The invention is useful in the manipulation of biological molecules such as nucleic acids, carbohydrates, proteins and peptides. In particular, the invention has utility for manipulating proteins and peptides in isoelectric focusing gels.

First claim

1 . A wellformer for use with an apparatus for eluting an analyte from a solid phase wherein said wellformer comprises a cylindrical body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a circumferential surface and a plurality of chambers wherein each of said plurality of chambers defines an opening on each of said top surface, said bottom surface and said circumferential surface, thereby defining a plurality of openings on each of said top surface, said bottom surface and said circumferential surface.

2 . The wellformer as defined in claim 1 wherein said plurality of openings on said top surface are located the same distance from the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body as each other.

3 . The wellformer as defined in either claim 1 wherein said plurality of openings on said bottom surface are located the same distance from the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body as each other.

4 . The wellformer as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of openings on said top surface is in direct overlying registry with the corresponding of said plurality of openings on said bottom surface.

5 . The wellformer as defined in claim 1 wherein said plurality of openings on said circumferential surface are located the same distance from the top surface of the cylindrical body as each other.

6 . The wellformer as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of chambers defines a T-shape extending between said top surface, said bottom surface and said circumferential surface.

7 . The wellformer as defined in claim 1 further comprising a compression ring positioned in overlying registry with said plurality of openings on said circumferential surface.

8 . The wellformer as defined in claim 7 further comprising said solid phase sandwiched between said compression ring and said circumferential surface and positioned in overlying registry with said plurality of openings on said circumferential surface.

9 . The wellformer as defined in claim 1 wherein said solid phase is an electrophoresis gel or blotting membrane.

10 . The wellformer as defined in claim 1 wherein said solid phase is a strip.

11 . The wellformer as defined in claim 10 wherein said strip is an immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strip.

12 . The wellformer as defined in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical body comprises a central opening extending from said top surface to said bottom surface.

13 . An apparatus for eluting an analyte from a solid phase wherein the analyte has been separated along a separation direction on said solid phase wherein said apparatus comprises a wellformer as defined in claim 1 and a plurality of liquid distribution channels in fluid communication with a plurality of chambers in said wellformer wherein each of said plurality of liquid distribution channels defines an inlet proximal to one of said plurality of chambers and an outlet fluidly connected to said inlet by a passageway extending therebetween.

14 . The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein each of said plurality of liquid distribution channels extends outwards from each of said plurality of chambers of said wellformer.

15 . The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of liquid distribution channels extends in a straight line and is the same length as each other of said plurality of liquid distribution channels.

16 . The apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said plurality of liquid distribution channels are defined by a stack of laminated foils.

17 . The apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said stack of laminated foils is supported by a base.

18 . The apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said outlet of each of said plurality of liquid distribution channels is fluidly connected to a collection chamber.

19 . The apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said collection chamber is a microtitre plate well.

20 . The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said microtire plate well is provided as part of a bendable row of microtitre plate wells.

21 . The apparatus as defined in claim 20 further comprising a rod head positioned in overlying registry with said top surface of said cylindrical body of said wellformer wherein said rod head comprises a plurality of rods each of which fits into one of said plurality of chambers of said wellformer via one of said plurality of openings on said top surface of said wellformer and exerts pressure into said plurality of chambers to facilitate elution of said analyte.

22 . A method for eluting an analyte from a solid phase wherein said analyte has been separated along a separation direction in said solid phase, wherein said method comprises:
(i) providing a wellformer as defined in claim 1 ; (ii) positioning said solid phase in overlying registry with said plurality of openings on said circumferential surface of said cylindrical body of said wellformer; (iii) positioning a compression ring in overlying registry with said solid phase in order that said solid phase is sandwiched between said circumferential surface of said cylindrical body of said wellformer and said compression ring (iv) eluting said analyte from said solid phase.

23 . The method as defined in claim 22 which further comprises the exertion of pressure into said plurality of chambers by means of positioning a rod head into the said plurality of openings on said top surface of said cylindrical body of said wellformer to facilitate elution of said analyte.

24 . The method as defined in claim 23 wherein said eluting step of said method is followed by a further step (iv) of transferring said eluted analyte along a plurality of liquid distribution channels.

25 . The method as defined in claim 24 wherein each of said plurality of liquid distribution channels is fluidly connected to a collection chamber and wherein said method further comprises transfer of said eluted analyte from said plurality of chambers via said plurality of liquid distribution channels into said collection chambers.

Assignees

• Ge Healthcare Bio Sciences Ab

Inventors

• Solderman Tobias Ingemar
• Norrman Nils
• Ostlin Henrik
• Lindman Susanna
• Bergman David Carl Martin
• Oliviusson Peter Mats

Classifications

• B01L2300/0887

  Laminated structure · CPC title

• B01L3/5085

  for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates · CPC title

• B01L3/5025 Primary

  for parallel transport of multiple samples · CPC title

• G01N27/44739

  Collecting the separated zones, e.g. blotting to a membrane or punching of gel spots · CPC title

• G01N35/00

  Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor · CPC title