Containment cuvette for PCR and method of use

A closed, disposable cuvette for carrying out amplification and detection of nucleic acid material, comprising:

• a plurality of compartments defined by walls, including a reaction compartment, said reaction compartment containing nucleic acid material, polymerase enzyme, primer nucleic acids and nucleotides, at least one of said walls of at least one of said compartments being constructed to allow transfer of heat between the one compartment and the external environment;
• at least one detection material being present in at least one of said compartments;
• and means for fluidly interconnecting said compartments in prescribed order when pressure is applied to at least one of said compartments;
• said compartments all being closed to fluid flow to locations outside of the cuvette;
• at least one of said compartments including means at a detection site therein for immobilizing said nucleic acid material at said site for detection after amplification;
• whereby detection of amplified nucleic acid material occurs without contamination by the amplified nucleic acid material of other cuvettes for the assay of the same nucleic acid material.

A closed, disposable cuvette for carrying out amplification and detection of nucleic acid material, comprising:

• a plurality of compartments defined by walls, including a reaction compartment, said reaction compartment containing nucleic acid material, TAQ polymerase, primer nucleic acids and nucleotides, at least one of said walls of at least one of said compartments being constructed to allow transfer of heat between the one compartment and the external environment;
• at least one detection material being present in at least one of said compartments;
• and means for fluidly interconnecting said compartments in prescribed order when pressure is applied to at least one of said compartments;
• said compartments all being closed to fluid flow to locations outside of the cuvette;
• at least one of said compartments including means at a detection site therein for immobilizing at said site said nucleic acid material for detection after amplification;
• whereby detection of amplified nucleic acid material occurs without contamination by the amplified nucleic acid material of other cuvettes for the assay of the same nucleic acid material.

Apparatus for amplifying and detecting DNA, comprising

• a cuvette containing i) a plurality of compartments defined by walls, and means for interconnecting each of them to at least one other compartment, said compartments including a) at least one reaction compartment for amplifying DNA strands, b) reagents for amplifying and detecting a DNA strand, and c) at least one detection compartment for detecting amplified DNA and including a detection site, at least one of said walls of at least one of said compartments being constructed to allow transfer of heat between the one compartment and the external environment;
• ii) liquid access means connected only to said at least one reaction compartment for allowing the injection into said reaction compartment of a sample DNA for amplifying;
• iii) means for closing off said cuvette against passage of DNA after sample DNA is injected;
• and iv) means for moving a detection reagent and a DNA strand into said detection compartment and for immobilizing said DNA strand onto said detection site;
• whereby once a DNA sample is injected into the compartments and said access means is closed, the fluid contents of the compartments are contained against contact by the operator and environment during the entire amplification and detection reaction.

Apparatus for detecting DNA available in a sample in minute quantities, comprising

• a cuvette containing i) a plurality of compartments defined by walls, and means for interconnecting each of them to at least one other compartment, said compartments including a) at least one reaction compartment, b) reagents for producing a detectable signal representing a target DNA and including a detection reagent, and c) a detection site for detecting DNA, at least one of said walls of at least one of said compartments being constructed to allow transfer of heat between the one compartment and the external environment;
• ii) liquid access means connected only to said at least one reaction compartment for allowing the injection into said reaction compartment of a sample DNA;
• iii) means for closing off said cuvette against passage of DNA after sample DNA is injected;
• and iv) means for moving said detection reagent and a DNA strand to said detection site;
• whereby once a DNA sample is injected into the compartments and said access means is closed, the fluid contents of the compartments are contained against contact by the operator and environment during the entire amplification and detection reaction.

Apparatus for detecting nucleic acid material available in a sample in minute quantities, comprising

• a cuvette containing i) a plurality of compartments defined by walls, and means for interconnecting each of them to at least one other compartment, said compartments including a) at least one reaction compartment, b) reagents for producing a detectable signal representing a target nucleic acid material and including a detection reagent, and c) a detection site for detecting said target material, at least one of said walls of at least one of said compartments being constructed to allow transfer of heat between the one compartment and the external environment;
• ii) liquid access means connected only to said at least one reaction compartment for allowing the injection into said reaction compartment of a sample nucleic acid material;
• iii) means for closing off said cuvette against passage of nucleic acid material after sample nucleic acid material is injected;
• and iv) means for moving said detection reagent and a nucleic acid material strand to said detection site;
• whereby once a nucleic acid material sample is injected into the compartments and said access means is closed, the fluid contents of the compartments are contained against contact by the operator and environment during the entire amplification and detection reaction.