Pipette tip and method of use thereof
AssigneePorvair Filtration Group Limited
InventorsDavid Richard Cowieson, Samantha Jane Hutchinson, Lewis Francis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipette tip (20) containing a rigid porous matrix (22) on which a ligand is immobilized, the ligand being capable of binding to a protein associated with chromatin; the rigid porous matrix being positioned within the pipette tip such that, in use, chromatin in a liquid sample passing through the pipette tip is retained by the rigid porous matrix is described. A method of isolating chromatin from the liquid sample using the pipette tip and the use of the pipette tip in a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay are also described.
Claims9
A method of isolating chromatin from a liquid sample, the method comprising passing the liquid sample through a pipette tip, such that the chromatin is retained on the rigid porous matrix in the pipette tip, the pipette tip having:
- an open upper end adapted to engage a pipette;
- an open lower end;
- and
- a through passageway in fluid communication with the upper and lower ends;
- the pipette tip being configured such that, in use, a liquid sample is capable of passing through the tip both by being drawn in through the lower end by the application of reduced pressure, and being expulsed out of the lower end by the application of increased pressure;
- the pipette tip containing a rigid porous matrix on which a ligand is immobilized, the ligand being capable of binding to a protein associated with chromatin;
- the rigid porous matrix being positioned within the pipette tip such that, in use, chromatin in a liquid sample passing through the pipette tip is retained by the rigid porous matrix;
- wherein the rigid porous matrix comprises a sintered thermoplastic polymer, the matrix being functionalized at a surface after sintering, the functionalisation providing functional groups on the surface which facilitate the attachment of the ligand.
A method of performing a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, the method comprising the steps of:
- (i) preparation of a liquid sample comprising chromatin to be analysed from cells;
- (ii) passing the liquid sample through a pipette tip, thereby separating the chromatin from the liquid sample;
- (iii) DNA recovery from the chromatin separated in step (ii);
- and
- (iv) DNA analysis;
- the pipette tip having:
- an open upper end adapted to engage a pipette;
- an open lower end;
- and
- a through passageway in fluid communication with the upper and lower ends;
- the pipette tip being configured such that, in use, a liquid sample is capable of passing through the tip both by being drawn in through the lower end by the application of reduced pressure, and being expulsed out of the lower end by the application of increased pressure;
- the pipette tip containing a rigid porous matrix on which a ligand is immobilized, the ligand being capable of binding to a protein associated with chromatin;
- the rigid porous matrix being positioned within the pipette tip such that, in use, chromatin in a liquid sample passing through the pipette tip is retained by the rigid porous matrix;
- wherein the rigid porous matrix comprises a sintered thermoplastic polymer, the matrix being functionalized at a surface after sintering, the functionalisation providing functional groups on the surface which facilitate the attachment of the ligand.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.