Patent ID: 8093026
Filing Date: 2012-01-10
Classification: C07K,C12N,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for transporting or storing a virus, prokaryotic cell, or eukaryotic cell from a sample, said method comprising: contacting said sample with magnetic colloidal particles to form a mixture; homogenizing the mixture; applying a magnetic field to separate from the mixture said virus, prokaryotic cell, or eukaryotic cell, wherein said virus, prokaryotic cell or eukaryotic cell is complexed with said magnetic colloidal particles; obtaining a stable colloid of said virus, prokaryotic cell or eukaryotic cell; and transporting or storing said virus, prokaryotic cell or eukaryotic cell in the form of the stable colloid of said virus, prokaryotic cell or eukaryotic cell, wherein: said magnetic colloidal particles comprise a core and an envelope; the core is magnetic and is coated with an organic polymer, said organic polymer is a homopolymer or copolymer of monomers selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, acrylate, styrene, methylstyrene, ethylstyrene, tert-butylstyrene, chloromethylstyrene, and vinyltoluene; the organic polymer comprises functional groups selected from the group consisting of amine, hydroxyl, thiol, aldehyde, ester, anhydride, acid chloride, carbonate, carbamate, isocyanate, isothiocyanate groups, and mixtures thereof, wherein at least a fraction of the functional groups reacts with other functional groups of the envelope; and wherein: the envelope comprises a polymer that is a hydrophilic homopolymer or copolymer of monomers selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, methacrylamide, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, allylamine, and styrene; if the polymer is a homopolymer, then the homopolymer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, polypeptides, linear or branched polyethyleneimine, and dendrimers; the hydrophilic homopolymer or copolymer comprises ionizable functional groups that are identical or different; the ionizable functional groups are selected from the group consisting of amine, carboxylic acid, ester, anhydride, aldehyde, thiol, disulfide, α-halocarbonyl, sulfonic acid, maleimide, isocyanate, and isothiocyanate groups; and the ionizable functional groups partially react with the functional groups of the core.