DNA detector and DNA detection method

An electrophoresis apparatus for detecting samples migrating along lines extended from ends of electrophoretic separation portions, the electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of electrophoretic separation portions separate from one another and having respective ends disposed along a straight line;
• a light source for generating light which passes across respective lines extended from the ends of the electrophoretic separation portions, the light propagating along a straight line extending across all of the lines extended from the ends of the electrophoretic separation portions;
• a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective points where the light from the light source passes across respective ones of the lines extended from the ends of the electrophoretic separation portions, the optical fibers being equal in number to or greater in number than the electrophoretic separation portions;
• and
• optical detecting means optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for receiving light from the lines extended from the electrophoretic separation portions via the optical fibers.

A fluorescent electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of electrophoresis lanes having respective ends disposed along a straight line, the electrophoresis lanes each containing a separation medium through which a sample labeled with a fluorophore migrates until the sample labeled with the fluorophore is eluted from the end of the respective electrophoresis lane;
• a plurality of migration portions following respective ones of the electrophoresis lanes and being disposed along a straight line, wherein the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the electrophoresis lanes migrates through a respective one of the migration portions;
• a light source for generating light which passes through the migration portions along a straight line extending through all of the migration portions, thereby irradiating the migration portions at respective irradiated portions disposed along the straight line extending through all of the migration portions;
• a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective ones of the irradiated portions of the migration portions so as to receive fluorescence generated in the irradiated portions, wherein the optical fibers transmit the fluorescence received by the first ends of the optical fibers to the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby causing the fluorescence to be emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers;
• and
• optical detecting means optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby detecting the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the electrophoresis lanes outside the electrophoresis lanes.

A fluorescent electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• at least one optical cell;
• a plurality of electrophoresis lanes having respective ends disposed along a straight line inside the at least one optical cell, the electrophoresis lanes each containing a separation medium through which a sample labeled with a fluorophore migrates until the sample labeled with the fluorophore is eluted from the end of the respective electrophoresis lane;
• a plurality of migration portions formed in the at least one optical cell, the migration portions following respective ones of the electrophoresis lanes and being disposed along a straight line in the at least one optical cell, wherein the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the electrophoresis lanes migrates through a respective one of the migration portions;
• a light source for generating light which passes through the migration portions along a straight line extending through all of the migration portions, thereby irradiating the migration portions at respective irradiated portions disposed along the straight line extending through all of the migration portions;
• a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective ones of the irradiated portions of the migration portions so as to receive fluorescence generated in the irradiated portions, wherein the optical fibers transmit the fluorescence received by the first ends of the optical fibers to the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby causing the fluorescence to be emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers;
• and
• optical detecting means optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby detecting the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the electrophoresis lanes outside the electrophoresis lanes.

A fluorescent electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of electrophoresis lanes having respective ends disposed along a straight line, the electrophoresis lanes each containing a separation medium through which a sample labeled with a fluorophore migrates until the sample labeled with the fluorophore is eluted from the end of the respective electrophoresis lane;
• a plurality of migration portions formed along respective lines extended from the ends of the electrophoresis lanes, the migration portions being disposed along a straight line, wherein the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the electrophoresis lanes migrates through a respective one of the migration portions;
• a light source for generating light which passes through the migration portions along a straight line extending through all of the migration portions, thereby simultaneously irradiating all of the migration portions at respective irradiated portions disposed along the straight line extending through all of the migration portions;
• a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective ones of the irradiated portions of the migration portions so as to receive fluorescence generated in the irradiated portions, wherein the optical fibers transmit the fluorescence received by the first ends of the optical fibers to the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby causing the fluorescence to be emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers;
• and
• optical detecting means optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby detecting the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the electrophoresis lanes outside the electrophoresis lanes.

A fluorescent electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of capillaries having respective ends disposed along a straight line, the capillaries each containing a gel through which a sample labeled with a fluorophore migrates until the sample labeled with the fluorophore is eluted from the end of the respective capillary;
• a plurality of migration portions following respective ones of the capillaries and being disposed along a straight line, wherein the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the capillaries migrates through a respective one of the migration portions;
• a light source for generating light which passes through the migration portions along a straight line extending through all of the migration portions, thereby irradiating the migration portions at respective irradiated portions disposed along the straight line extending through all of the migration portions;
• a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective ones of the irradiated portions of the migration portions so as to receive fluorescence generated in the irradiated portions and such that respective optical axes of the optical fibers extending from the first ends of the optical fibers are substantially perpendicular to the straight line extending through all of the migration portions, wherein the optical fibers transmit the fluorescence received by the first ends of the optical fibers to the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby causing the fluorescence to be emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers;
• and
• optical detecting means optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby detecting the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the capillaries outside the capillaries.

A fluorescent electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of optical cells;
• a plurality of capillaries having respective ends disposed along a straight line inside the optical cells, the capillaries each containing a gel through which a sample labeled with a fluorophore migrates until the sample labeled with the fluorophore is eluted from the end of the respective capillary;
• a plurality of migration portions formed in the optical cells, the migration portions following respective ones of the capillaries and being disposed along a straight line in the optical cells, wherein the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the capillaries migrates through a respective one of the migration portions;
• a single light source for generating light which passes through the migration portions in the optical cells along a straight line extending through all of the migration portions, thereby irradiating the migration portions at respective irradiated portions disposed along the straight line extending through all of the migration portions;
• a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective ones of the irradiated portions of the migration portions so as to receive fluorescence generated in the irradiated portions and such that respective optical axes of the optical fibers extending from the first ends of the optical fibers intersect the straight line extending through all of the migration portions at respective points where the sample labeled with the fluorophore migrating through the respective one of the migration portions crosses the straight line extending through all of the migration portions, wherein the optical fibers transmit the fluorescence received by the first ends of the optical fibers to the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby causing the fluorescence to be emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers;
• and
• a plurality of optical detecting means optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby detecting the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the capillaries outside the capillaries.

A fluorescent electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of electrophoresis lanes having respective ends disposed along a straight line, the electrophoresis lanes each containing a separation medium through which a sample labeled with a fluorophore migrates until the sample labeled with the fluorophore is eluted from the end of the respective electrophoresis lane;
• means for forming a plurality of sheath flows along respective lines extended from the ends of the electrophoresis lanes, the sheath flows being disposed along a straight line, wherein the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the electrophoresis lanes moves in a respective one of the sheath flows;
• a light source for generating light which passes through the sheath flows along a straight line extending through all of the sheath flows, thereby simultaneously irradiating the sheath flows at respective irradiated portions disposed along the straight line extending through all of the sheath flows;
• a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective ones of the irradiated portions of the sheath flows so as to receive fluorescence generated in the irradiated portions, wherein the optical fibers transmit the fluorescence received by the first ends of the optical fibers to the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby causing the fluorescence to be emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers;
• and
• optical detecting means optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby detecting the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the electrophoresis lanes outside the electrophoresis lanes.

A fluorescent electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of capillaries having respective ends disposed along a straight line, the capillaries each containing a gel through which a sample labeled with a fluorophore migrates until the sample labeled with the fluorophore is eluted from the end of the respective capillary;
• means for forming a plurality of sheath flows along respective lines extended from the ends of the capillaries, the sheath flows being disposed along a straight line, wherein the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the capillaries moves in a respective one of the sheath flows;
• a light source for generating light which passes through the sheath flows along a straight line extending through all of the sheath flows, thereby irradiating the sheath flows at respective irradiated portions disposed along the straight line extending through all of the sheath flows;
• a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective ones of the irradiated portions of the sheath flows so as to receive fluorescence generated in the irradiated portions and such that respective optical axes of the optical fibers extending from the first ends of the optical fibers are substantially perpendicular to the straight line extending through all of the sheath flows, wherein the optical fibers transmit the fluorescence received by the first ends of the optical fibers to the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby causing the fluorescence to be emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers;
• and
• optical detecting means optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby detecting the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the capillaries outside the capillaries.

A fluorescent electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of optical cells;
• a plurality of capillaries having respective ends disposed along a straight line inside the optical cells, the capillaries each containing a gel through which a sample labeled with a fluorophore migrates until the sample labeled with the fluorophore is eluted from the end of the respective capillary;
• means for forming a plurality of sheath flows in the optical cells along respective lines extended from the ends of the capillaries, the sheath flows being disposed along a straight line in the optical cells, wherein the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the capillaries moves in a respective one of the sheath flows;
• a single light source for generating light which passes through the sheath flows in the optical cells along a straight line extending through all of the sheath flows, thereby irradiating the sheath flows at respective irradiated portions disposed along the straight line extending through all of the sheath flows;
• a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective ones of the irradiated portions of the sheath flows so as to receive fluorescence generated in the irradiated portions and such that respective optical axes of the optical fibers extending from the first ends of the optical fibers intersect the straight line extending through all of the sheath flows at respective points where the sample labeled with the fluorophore moving in the respective one of the sheath flows crosses the straight line extending through all of the sheath flows, wherein the optical fibers transmit the fluorescence received by the first ends of the optical fibers to the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby causing the fluorescence to be emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers;
• and
• a plurality of optical detecting means optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the second ends of the optical fibers, thereby detecting the sample labeled with the fluorophore eluted from the end of each of the capillaries outside the capillaries.