US 6,632,662 B1Granted

Device and method for the lysis of micro-organisms

AssigneeBio Merieux

InventorsPatrick Broyer, Philippe Cleuziat, Bruno Colin, Cécile Paris, Lyse Santoro

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Abstract

The invention concerns a device for lysis (1) of micro-organism to release at least one intracellular biological constituent, comprising a container (2) wherein are present a biological sample, in liquid medium, containing the micro-organism to be lyzed, and a material in the form of particles, relatively hard and inert with respect to the sample. The invention also concerns a grinding method. The material in the form of particles comprises at least two types of grinding means into different dimensions: at least large dimension magnetic means (3) automatically controlled by a magnetic field; and at least small dimension means (4) actuated by the large dimension grinding means (3). The invention is useful for separating biological constituents.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A device for the lysis of at least one species of micro-organism, so as to release at least one intracellular biological component, which comprises:

a container defining at least one enclosure for containing a biological sample in liquid medium comprising said species of micro-organism;
at least one large-sized magnetic particle, made of at least one material which is relatively hard and substantially inert with respect to said species of micro-organism, and which has a magnetic susceptibility, contained in said enclosure;
a multiplicity of small-sized particles, each made of at least one material which is relatively hard and substantially inert with respect to said species of micro-organism, contained in said enclosure;
and
a means external to said container and capable of generating a variable magnetic field passing through said container and enclosure, such that said variable magnetic field directly moves said magnetic particle inside said enclosure, causing said small-sized particles to move in grinding motion with respect to said species of micro-organism.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.