Process and apparatus for conducting electrophoresis and transfer
AssigneeOncor, Inc.
InventorsJack D. Love, Michael T. Elliott, Patricia L. Morgan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for carrying out horizontal gel electrophoresis for separation and subsequent vacuum-assisted transportation of macromolecules to a support membrane to facilitate detection. The entire procedure is conducted in one cartridge. A method for conducting electrophoresis and subsequent vacuum-assisted transfer using the apparatus of the present invention is also disclosed.
Claims26
Apparatus for conducting electrophoresis and subsequent transfer, comprising:
- a tray having opposite side walls, opposite end walls and a bottom wall;
- platform means in said tray for supporting a gel, said platform means including a support plate that is pervious to liquid;
- said tray and platform means defining a chamber between said plate and said bottom wall;
- electrode means for applying an electric field in said tray between said end walls, said platform means being between said electrode means;
- liquid reservoir means adjacent said end walls;
- conduit means for transferring liquid into and out of said tray;
- and
- lid means for covering said tray.
A method of conducting electrophoresis and subsequent transfer, comprising:
- placing a liquid pervious membrane on a liquid pervious platform in a tray;
- placing a gel in said tray on said membrane and said platform;
- inserting samples in wells formed in the gel;
- covering the gel with an electrophoresis buffer;
- applying an electric potential through the gel to cause migration of samples in response to the electric potential;
- subjecting the gel to depurination solution in the tray;
- conducting a denaturation transfer solution through said tray in contact with said gel;
- applying a vacuum under said liquid pervious platform, thereby transferring the samples from the gel to the membrane by means of the denaturation transfer solution;
- and
- subsequently removing the membrane from the tray.
Apparatus for transferring nucleic acid fragments from a gel to a support membrane, comprising:
- a tray having a bottom wall;
- platform means in said tray, said platform means including a porous support plate;
- said tray and platform means defining a chamber between said plate and said bottom wall;
- liquid reservoir means above said plate, said reservoir means comprising a wall extending above and surrounding the perimeter of said support plate and arranged to contain liquid above said support plate;
- and
- a fluid port communicating with said chamber for withdrawing fluid.
A method of conducting the transfer of nucleic acid fragments from a gel to a support membrane, comprising:
- placing a liquid pervious membrane on a liquid perivous platform in a tray;
- placing a gel in said tray on said membrane and said platform;
- placing a transfer solution in the tray in contact with the gel;
- applying a vacuum under said liquid pervious platform, thereby transferring the samples from the gel to the membrane by means of the transfer solution, and
- subsequently removing the membrane from the tray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.