Programmable and reconfigurable microcolumn affinity chromatography device, system, and methods of use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9803192-B2
Application number	US-201414507819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2014
Priority date	Oct 4, 2013
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to microcolumn affinity chromatography devices, systems that include the microcolumn affinity chromatography devices of the present disclosure, methods of using the devices and the systems of the present disclosure, and methods of making the devices and the systems of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, the microcolumn affinity chromatography device is suitable for conducting affinity chromatography in multiple microcolumns in parallel and/or in series.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for conducting affinity chromatography in multiple microcolumns in parallel and/or in series, said device comprising:
a microcolumn layer comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of vertically aligned microcolumns for passing one or more sample liquids therethrough, said microcolumns extending from the top to the bottom surface of the microcolumn layer and optionally containing an affinity chromatography agent;
a top capping layer proximately disposed at the top surface of the microcolumn layer and comprising a patterned grid having at least one opening in fluid alignment with at least one microcolumn so as to allow a sample liquid to pass through the top capping layer and into the microcolumn; and
a reconfigurable bottom capping layer proximately disposed at the bottom surface of the microcolumn layer, said reconfigurable bottom capping layer being reconfigurable to conduct affinity chromatography in multiple microcolumns in parallel, in series, or in both parallel and series simultaneously,
wherein said bottom capping layer comprises a parallel patterned grid when configured for running multiple liquid samples through the microcolumns in a parallel manner, said parallel patterned grid comprising opening portions in fluid alignment with those microcolumns through which liquid samples are desired to pass in a parallel manner,
wherein said bottom capping layer comprises a series patterned grid when configured for passing a single liquid sample through multiple serially connected microcolumns in a serial manner, said series patterned grid further comprising a bottom channel layer having a plurality of horizontal channel portions each forming a flow channel fluidly connecting adjacent microcolumns of the serially connected microcolumns through which the single liquid sample is desired to pass in a serial manner, and
wherein said bottom capping layer comprises both said parallel patterned grid and said series patterned grid when configured for conducting said affinity chromatography in both parallel and series simultaneously.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the microcolumn layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), cyclic olefin copolymer, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, or functional derivatives or variants thereof.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the top capping layer and the bottom capping layer are made of a material selected from the group consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), cyclic olefin copolymer, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, or functional derivatives or variants thereof.

4. The device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a top channel layer disposed between the top capping layer and the top surface of the microcolumn layer, wherein the top channel layer comprises a plurality of horizontal channel portions each forming a flow channel fluidly connecting adjacent microcolumns of the serially connected microcolumns through which the single liquid sample is desired to pass in a serial manner.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the top channel layer is patterned to work in fluid and serial connection with the plurality of horizontal channel portions of the bottom capping layer so as to pass the single liquid sample through the serially connected microcolumns in a serial manner.

6. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the top channel layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicone and rubber, or functional derivatives or variants thereof.

7. The device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a top port layer proximately disposed on the top capping layer, said top port layer comprising one or more input port each in fluidic alignment with a corresponding microcolumn so as to effectuate introduction of a sample liquid into a desired microcolumn.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the top port layer further comprises at least one outlet port for expelling a liquid sample from one of the microcolumns after it passes through a plurality of serially connected microcolumns in serial manner.

9. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the ports of the top port layer are NanoPorts™, connectors, and/or tubing made of a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a thermoplastic polymer, and polyether ether ketone (PEEK), or functional derviatves or variants thereof.

10. The device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a bottom port layer proximately disposed on the bottom capping layer, said bottom port layer comprising one or more outlet port each in fluidic alignment with a corresponding microcolumn so as to effectuate expulsion of a liquid sample from a desired microcolumn.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the ports of the bottom port layer are NanoPorts™, connectors, and/or tubing made of a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a thermoplastic polymer, and polyether ether ketone (PEEK), or functional derviatves or variants thereof.

12. The device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a top frit gasket layer and/or a bottom frit gasket layer for aiding the containment of an affinity chromatography agent within the microcolumns,
wherein said top frit gasket layer is deposited between the top surface of the microcolumn layer and the top capping layer, and
wherein the bottom frit gasket layer is deposited between the bottom surface of the microcolumn layer and the bottom capping layer.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the top and bottom frit gasket layers are made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicone, rubber, a plastic polymer, polytetrafluoroethylene, paper, metal, cork, felt, neoprene, nitrile rubber, and fiberglass, or functional derivatives or variants thereof.

14. The device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a top port layer proximately disposed on the top capping layer, said top port layer comprising one or more input port each in fluidic alignment with a corresponding microcolumn so as to effectuate introduction of a sample liquid into a desired microcolumn;
an optional bottom port layer proximately disposed on the bottom capping layer, said bottom port layer comprising one or more outlet port each in fluidic alignment with a corresponding microcolumn so as to effectuate expulsion of a liquid sample from a desired microcolumn; and
a top washer layer and/or a bottom washer layer for securing the ports fo the top port layer and the optional bottom port layer in alignment with their corresponding microcolumns,
wherein said top washer layer is proximately deposited at the top capping layer and comprises a plurality of openings through which the ports of the top port layer protrude, and
wherein said bottom washer layer is proximately deposited at the bottom capping layer and comprises a plurality of openings through which the ports of the optional bottom port layer protrude.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the top and bottom washer layers are made of a material selected from the group consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), cyclic olefin copolymer, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, or functional derivatives thereof.

16. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the affinity chromatography agent is selected from the group consisting of a resin, a modified resin, and microbeads.

17. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the affinity chromatography agent comprises an immobilized target molecule.

Assignees

• Univ Cornell

Inventors

• Craighead Harold G
• Szeto Kylan
• Reinholt Sarah
• Lis John T
• Ozer Abdullah

Classifications

• C12N15/101

  by chromatography, e.g. electrophoresis, ion-exchange, reverse phase · CPC title

• B01D15/22

  relating to the construction of the column · CPC title

• B01D15/3819

  of the nucleic acid-nucleic acid binding protein type · CPC title

• C12N15/1048 Primary

  SELEX · CPC title