Abstract:
The present invention is characterized by that a biochip in which a plurality of biopolymers is arranged, has a transparent layer having a fluorescence enhancing function on a metal layer which is also used as a one-side electrode for implementing hybridization.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a biochip for examining the sequence of genes of biopolymers such as DNA and proteins, and to genetic sequence measuring equipment using the biochip.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Through hybridization by passing unknown DNA over a substrate on which known DNA is fixed, the unknown DNA can be bound to a corresponding DNA sequence. In this case, the unknown DNA sequence bound to the known DNA can be known by binding a fluorescent reagent to the unknown DNA.  
           [0005]    As shown in FIG. 1( a ), if a positive voltage is applied to electrode  1  on which known DNA  2  is attached, unknown DNA  3  is attracted to the side of electrode  1  as shown in FIG. 1( b ) because DNA is negatively charged. This makes hybridization, which previously took a few hours to be completed, possible in tens of seconds.  
           [0006]    As equipment that can make hybridization speed higher by applying this principle, for example, there is the measuring equipment that measures genetic sequences mentioned in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2002-85095 proposed by the applicant for the application concerned. This measuring equipment is configured as shown in FIG. 2. The inside of cartridge  11  formed with an insulator is leak proof and filled with a liquid in which known DNA  2  and unknown DNA  3  are mixed.  
           [0007]    Known DNA  2  is fixed to the wall surface of cartridge  11  as shown in FIG. 2( a ). When a voltage is applied from voltage source  14  between positive electrode  12  and negative electrode  13  positioned on either side of cartridge  11 , the suspended unknown DNA  3  which it contains, since being negatively charged, is attracted by and comes close to positive electrode  12  as shown in FIG. 2( b ). In such a manner, the speed of hybridization can be made higher.  
           [0008]    Also, if unknown DNA  3  is labeled with a fluorescent material in advance and the exciting light is irradiated onto the DNA  3  to emit fluorescence, the more intense the detected fluorescence, the higher the detecting sensitivity of that system. Notably, the quantification of smaller traces of proteins and nucleic acids becomes possible. For this reason, enhancing the intensity of fluorescence from the fluorescent material whose quantity is equal to that of the fluorescent material before enhancement is very significant.  
           [0009]    In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,280, a fluorescence enhanced chip is described, in which the intensity of fluorescence generated from a fluorescent material  24  can be enhanced by adopting a structure in which layers of metal  22 , dielectric material  23  and fluorescent material  24  are stacked in this order on a glass substrate  21  as shown in FIG. 3.  
           [0010]    However, there are the following problems with these conventional chips:  
           [0011]    In chips for high speed hybridization;  
           [0012]    (a) Since thickness of some extent is necessary for the cartridge, the distance between the electrodes becomes long thereby decreasing the intensity of the electric field.  
           [0013]    (b) Since this configuration requires components such as a cartridge, electrodes, and others, increase of the number of components is significant.  
           [0014]    (c) Although hybridization speed is increased, sensitivity is not necessarily improved.  
           [0015]    On the other hand, in fluorescence enhanced chips, although sensitivity is improved, hybridization speed is not necessarily made higher.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0016]    The purpose of the present invention is to realize biochips and genetic sequence measuring equipment in which hybridization of higher speed and higher sensitivity can be achieved by implementing hybridization employing a specific fluorescent enhancement part and using the metal layer of the fluorescent enhancement part also as an electrode for solving the above mentioned problems.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 shows a drawing illustrating the attraction of DNA towards the electrode.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a configuration drawing showing an example of conventional measuring equipment.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a configuration drawing showing an example of conventional fluorescent enhancement chips.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the essential part of measuring equipment using a biochip indicating an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a sectional enlargement of the fluorescent enhancement part.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a drawing showing the essential part of measuring equipment using a biochip indicating another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    The present invention will be described below in detail using drawings. FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the essential part of measuring equipment using a biochip indicating an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]    In FIG. 4, elements identical to those of FIG. 2 are referenced alike. Elements different from those in FIG. 2 are of such construction that the bottom of cartridge  11   a  formed with transparent materials comprises the fluorescent enhancement part  30 , and negative electrode  13  is constructed in a detachable manner and is mounted on the upper surface of cartridge  11   a.    
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a sectional enlargement of the fluorescent enhancement part  30 . This fluorescent enhancement part  30  has a structure, in which metal layer  32  and transparent layer  33  are stacked on glass substrate  31 , and is mounted on the surface of the bottom of cartridge  11   a  in a leak proof manner with transparent layer  33  situated on the inner side.  
         [0026]    In this case, metal layer  32  has the effect of reflecting mirror actions for fluorescence enhancement and is also used as the positive electrode for hybridization. In addition, transparent layer  33  also serves as the insulator in hybridization.  
         [0027]    In this case, if transparent layer  33  has a prescribe thickness, for example, ¼ of the wavelength of the fluorescence or a thickness obtained by adding an integer multiple of ½ of the wavelength to the above ¼ of the wavelength [that is, a thickness of ¼+i/2 (where i=0, 1, 2, . . . ) of the fluorescence wavelength], the transparent layer has the function of enhancing the fluorescence intensity. This transparent layer is made of materials such as glass, gel or resin. Metal layer  32  is made of silver (Ag), aluminum (Al) or the like.  
         [0028]    Actions in the configuration shown in FIG. 5 will be described below. Known DNA  2  is fixed to the surface of transparent layer  33  of fluorescent enhancement part  30 . Metal layer  32 , which is provided for enhancing fluorescence intensity and insulated from the solution, is utilized as the positive electrode. This positive electrode is counter to negative electrode  13  and thus configuration is such that there is a solution containing biopolymers such as charged DNA in the region between these electrodes.  
         [0029]    An electric field is developed by applying a voltage across the above electrodes from voltage source  14 . Since DNA is negatively charged, it is attracted toward the positive electrode and thus unknown DNA  3  is hybridized with known DNA being in relation to the unknown DNA in a complementary manner.  
         [0030]    After hybridization, voltage application to the electrodes is stopped and negative electrode  13  is removed from cartridge  11   a.    
         [0031]    Since unknown DNA  3  bound to known DNA is labeled with fluorescent material, that unknown DNA sequence can be measured by carrying out fluorescence measurement of fluorescent enhancement part  30  of cartridge  11   a.    
         [0032]    The present invention is not to be restricted to the above embodiments but may be subject to more changes or modifications without departing from the true spirit thereof.  
         [0033]    For example, by employing a transparent electrode as negative electrode  13 , DNA sequence measurement after hybridization can be carried out without removing the electrode.  
         [0034]    Further, as metal layer  32 , silver or aluminum can be used.  
         [0035]    In addition, although the above embodiments employ the so called electric field accelerating type method that increases hybridization speed by applying an electric field to a solution, the current accelerating type method as shown in FIG. 6 can also be employed. In FIG. 6, number  13   a  shows a negative electrode and number  30   a  shows a fluorescent enhancement part composed of metal layer  32  and transparent layer  33 . Negative electrode  13   a  and metal layer  32  (also used as the positive electrode) are mounted to the inner wall surface of cartridge  11  which is made of insulating material. In addition, negative electrode  13   a  can be mounted anywhere on the inner surface of the cartridge as long as it is positioned separate from metal layer  32 .  
         [0036]    In such a configuration, if known DNA  2  is fixed on the surface of transparent layer  33  of fluorescent enhancement part  30  similar to the case in FIG. 4 and a voltage is applied from voltage source  14  (although current flows in the solution in this case), the negatively charged unknown DNA  3  is attracted toward the positive electrode (metal layer  32 ) and hybridized with known DNA  2  which is related to DNA  3  in a complementary manner.  
         [0037]    Further, the structure of transparent layer  33  shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 is not limited to glass and gel or resin can also be used. The voltage applied from voltage source  14  is not limited to a DC voltage but can also be an AC voltage or a pulse voltage.  
         [0038]    Furthermore, known DNA may also be fixed, not on the surface of transparent layer  33 , but to ground work metal layer  32 . This technique is specifically effective in cases where this transparent layer is made of gel.  
         [0039]    As described above, the present invention has the following effects:  
         [0040]    (1) Both the electric field accelerating type and the current accelerating type of hybridization can be achieved at higher speed simultaneously with higher sensitivity by employing a fluorescent enhancement part and also using the metal layer of that fluorescent enhancement part as an electrode.  
         [0041]    (2) Since the metal layer of the fluorescent enhancement part is also used as an electrode, it is not required to provide the positive electrode separately as in previous designs and the number of components is reduced.  
         [0042]    (3) Because insulation is provided with a thin transparent layer, the distance between the electrodes can easily be shortened, and miniaturization of the cartridge and high speed hybridization can easily be achieved.