Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9216392B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 19:43:50
Document Index: 657667560

Matched Legal Cases: ['§119', 'art 680', 'art 810', 'art 830', 'art 1190', 'art 1200']

US9216392B2 - System for forming an array of emulsions - Google Patents
System for forming an array of emulsions Download PDF
US9216392B2
US9216392B2 US12/962,507 US96250710A US9216392B2 US 9216392 B2 US9216392 B2 US 9216392B2 US 96250710 A US96250710 A US 96250710A US 9216392 B2 US9216392 B2 US 9216392B2
US12/962,507
US20110092392A1 (en
Benjamin Joseph Hindson
Kevin Dean Ness
Billy Wayne Colston, JR.
Fred Paul Milanovich
Donald Arthur Masquelier
Anthony Joseph Makarewicz, JR.
2008-09-23 Priority to US19404308P priority Critical
2009-02-05 Priority to US20697509P priority
2009-07-21 Priority to US27153809P priority
2009-09-01 Priority to US27573109P priority
2009-09-21 Priority to US27724909P priority
2009-09-21 Priority to US27720309P priority
2009-09-21 Priority to US27720409P priority
2009-09-21 Priority to US27721609P priority
2009-09-21 Priority to US27720009P priority
2009-09-22 Priority to US27727009P priority
2009-09-23 Priority to US12/586,626 priority patent/US9156010B2/en
2010-12-07 Application filed by Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc filed Critical Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc
2010-12-07 Priority to US12/962,507 priority patent/US9216392B2/en
2011-01-11 Assigned to QUANTALIFE, INC. reassignment QUANTALIFE, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MAKAREWICZ JR., ANTHONY J., MASQUELIER, DONALD A., MILANOVICH, FRED P., COLSTON JR., BILLY W., NESS, KEVIN D., HINDSON, BENJAMIN J.
2011-04-21 Publication of US20110092392A1 publication Critical patent/US20110092392A1/en
2011-12-08 Assigned to BIO-RAD QL, INC. reassignment BIO-RAD QL, INC. MERGER & CHANGE OF NAME Assignors: QUANTALIFE, INC.
2011-12-20 Assigned to BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC. reassignment BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BIO-RAD QL, INC.
2012-08-16 Assigned to LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC reassignment LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BIO-RAD LABORATORIES
2015-12-22 Publication of US9216392B2 publication Critical patent/US9216392B2/en
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2017-12-14 PTAB case IPR2018-00300 filed (Not Instituted - Merits) litigation https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2018-00300 Petitioner: Institution date: 2018-06-15 Termination date: 2018-06-15 "Unified Patents PTAB Data" by Unified Patents is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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System, including apparatus and methods, for forming an array of emulsions. The system may comprise a plate including an array of emulsion production units. Each unit may include at least one first input well, a second input well, and an output well connected to the first and second input wells by channels that form a droplet generator. The system also may comprise a vacuum or pressure source configured to be connected operatively to wells of the plate to form a pressure drop between the input wells and the output well of each unit that is capable of driving a first fluid and a second fluid from respective first and second input wells of such unit and through the droplet generator, for collection as an emulsion in the output well of such unit.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/586,626, filed Sep. 23, 2009, Pub. No. US-2010-0173394-A1, which in turn is based upon and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of the following U.S. provisional patent applications: Ser. No. 61/194,043, filed Sep. 23, 2008; Ser. No. 61/206,975, filed Feb. 5, 2009; Ser. No. 61/271,538, filed Jul. 21, 2009; Ser. No. 61/275,731, filed Sep. 1, 2009; Ser. No. 61/277,200, filed Sep. 21, 2009; Ser. No. 61/277,203, filed Sep. 21, 2009; Ser. No. 61/277,204, filed Sep. 21, 2009; Ser. No. 61/277,216, filed Sep. 21, 2009; Ser. No. 61/277,249, filed Sep. 21, 2009; and Ser. No. 61/277,270, filed Sep. 22, 2009. These priority applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.
This application incorporates by reference in their entireties for all purposes the following materials: U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,481, issued May 9, 2006; and Joseph R. Lakowicz, PRINCIPLES OF FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY (2nd Ed. 1999).
Assays are procedures for determining the presence, quantity, activity, and/or other properties or characteristics of components in a sample. In many cases, the samples to be assayed are complex, the components of interest within the samples—a nucleic acid, an enzyme, a virus, a bacterium, etc.—are only minor constituents of the samples, and the results of the assays are required quickly and/or for many samples. Unfortunately, current assay systems, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for nucleic acids such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), may be slow, sensitive to sample complexity, and/or prone to reporting false positives, among other disadvantages. Thus, there is a need for improved assay systems.
The present disclosure provides a system, including apparatus and methods, for forming an array of emulsions. The system may comprise a plate including an array of emulsion production units. Each unit may include at least one first input well, a second input well, and an output well connected to the first and second input wells by channels that form a droplet generator. The system also may comprise a vacuum or pressure source configured to be connected operatively to wells of the plate to form a pressure drop between the input wells and the output well of each unit that is capable of driving a first fluid and a second fluid from respective first and second input wells of such unit and through the droplet generator, for collection as an emulsion in the output well of such unit.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart listing exemplary steps that may be performed in a method of sample analysis using droplet-based assays, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a system for performing droplet-based assays, with the system comprising an instrument and cartridges that connect to the instrument to provide sample preparation that is actuated and controlled by the instrument, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3A is a schematic view of an exemplary sequence of processes performed by the system of FIG. 2.
FIG. 3B is a schematic view of the instrument of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of an instrument for performing droplet-based assays, with the instrument designed to utilize pre-prepared samples, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart listing exemplary steps that may be performed in a method of sample analysis using droplet-based assays, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of selected portions of an exemplary system for performing droplet-based assays, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an exemplary system with flow-based amplification, and with droplet generation and droplet loading that are decoupled from each other, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart listing exemplary steps that may be performed in a method of sample analysis using droplet-based assays in which droplets are transported from a droplet generator and/or a droplet storage site to a reaction site, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart listing exemplary steps that may be included in a droplet transport step in the method of FIG. 8, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view of selected portions of an exemplary system for performing droplet-based assays in which droplets are transported from a droplet generator and/or droplet storage site to a reaction site, with horizontal arrows indicating droplet travel between structural components of the system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 11 is a schematic view of an exemplary droplet transporter connecting a droplet storage site to a reaction site, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 12 is a schematic view of an example of the system of FIG. 10 in which droplet generation and droplet transport to a reaction site are coupled by continuous flow such that droplets are not stored, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 13 is a schematic view of an example of the system of FIG. 10 in which droplet generation and droplet transport to a reaction site are decoupled, such that droplets can be stored for an adjustable, selectable period of time after their generation and then loaded into the reaction site for droplet processing, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 14 is a schematic view of an example of a system generally related to the system of FIG. 13, with selected elements replicated such that the system is capable of transporting, reacting, and/or detecting a plurality of distinct droplet packets in parallel, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 15 is a schematic view of another example of the system of FIG. 10 in which droplet generation and droplet transport to a reaction site are decoupled, with the system utilizing an autosampler to transport selected droplet packets from an emulsion array to a reaction site, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 16 is a fragmentary view of selected portions of the system of FIG. 15, with the autosampler picking up droplet packets serially from the emulsion array and separated from one another by at least one spacer fluid, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 17 is a schematic, fragmentary view of an example of the system of FIG. 10 that enables multi-stage decoupling of droplet generation and droplet loading into a reaction site, with the system providing storage of a packet of droplets (a) as part of an array of emulsions and then (b) in an intermediate storage site prior to introducing the packet into a reaction site, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 18 is a schematic, fragmentary view of another example of the system of FIG. 10 that enables multi-stage decoupling of droplet generation and droplet loading into a reaction site, with the system related to that of FIG. 17 but including a plurality of isolated, intermediate storage sites that can be accessed in an arbitrary order, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 19 is a flowchart listing exemplary steps that may be performed in a method of sample analysis using droplets subjected to conditions for amplification while disposed in a static fluid, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 20 is a flowchart listing exemplary steps that may be performed in a method of sample analysis using parallel (batch) amplification of an array of emulsions, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 21 is a schematic view of selected portions of an exemplary system for performing the method of FIG. 20, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 22 is a view of an exemplary device equipped with an array of droplet generators, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 23 is a fragmentary view of the device of FIG. 22, taken generally at the region indicated at “23” in FIG. 22, and illustrating a subset of the droplet generators.
FIG. 24 is a schematic view of one of the droplet generators of FIG. 23, illustrating how droplets are generated and driven to a droplet reservoir by application of pressure.
FIG. 25 is a sectional view of the device of FIG. 22, taken generally along line 25-25 of FIG. 23, and with the device assembled with an exemplary pressure manifold for applying pressure to the droplet generators to drive droplet generation, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 26 is a sectional view of the device of FIG. 22 taken as in FIG. 25, but with the pressure manifold replaced by an exemplary sealing member that seals wells of the device to permit thermal cycling, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 27 is a fragmentary view of another exemplary device incorporating an array of droplet generators, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 28 is a bottom view of a droplet generator of the device of FIG. 27, taken after droplet generation.
FIG. 29 is a sectional view of the droplet generator of FIG. 28, taken generally along line 29-29 of FIG. 28 and illustrating how droplets may be imaged from below the device.
FIG. 30 is a fragmentary view of yet another exemplary device incorporating an array of droplet generators, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 31 is a bottom view of a droplet generator of the device of FIG. 30, taken after droplet generation.
FIG. 32 is a sectional view of the droplet generator of FIG. 31, taken generally along line 32-32 of FIG. 31 and illustrating how droplets may be imaged from below the device.
FIG. 33 is a view of an exemplary imaging system for batch detection of an array of emulsions held by a plate, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 34 is a sectional view of the plate of FIG. 33, taken through a well of the plate, generally along line 34-34 of FIG. 33.
FIG. 35 is a view of an exemplary imaging system for detecting images of emulsions held by slides, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 36 is a sectional view through a slide of the imaging system of FIG. 35, taken generally along line 36-36 of FIG. 35.
FIG. 37 is an exploded view of an exemplary imaging system that includes a vial being loaded with droplets before detection to image the droplets, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 38 is a schematic view of an exemplary system for imaging amplified emulsions by transport of droplets of the emulsions to a detection chamber by flow from a plate holding the emulsions, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 39 is a schematic view of an exemplary system for imaging amplified emulsions transported to a plurality of detection chambers by flow from a plate holding the emulsions, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 40 is a schematic view of an exemplary system for transport of droplets from an array of emulsions to a detection channel, in accordance aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 41 is a flowchart depicting the steps of a DNA amplification method that may be performed within or in conjunction with a disposable cartridge of a DNA amplification system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 42 is a schematic diagram depicting a disposable sample preparation cartridge and suitable fluidic connections between various components of the cartridge, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 43-45 are isometric, side elevation, and top views, respectively, of an interior portion of an exemplary disposable cartridge, suitable for performing some or all of the sample preparation steps in FIG. 41.
FIG. 46 is a schematic view of a two-chamber hydraulic mechanism, suitable for controlling fluid motion between the various chambers of a disposable cartridge, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 47 is a schematic view of a three-chamber hydraulic mechanism, which is similar to two-chamber mechanism of FIG. 46, suitable for controlling fluid motion between the various chambers of a disposable cartridge, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 48A-48F are top views of various exemplary droplet generators, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 49 is a schematic diagram depicting another disposable sample preparation cartridge and suitable fluidic connections between various components of the cartridge, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 50 is a schematic diagram depicting still another disposable sample preparation cartridge (left), portions of a complementary PCR instrument (right), and suitable fluidic connections among and between various components of the cartridge and instrument, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 51 is a schematic diagram depicting still another disposable sample preparation cartridge (left), portions of a complementary PCR instrument (right), and suitable fluidic connections among and between various components of the cartridge and instrument, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 52 is an isometric view of still another disposable sample preparation cartridge, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 53 is a bottom view of the cartridge of FIG. 52.
FIG. 54 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary droplet generation system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 55 is an isometric view of a portion of an exemplary droplet generator, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 56 is an isometric view of a portion of another exemplary droplet generator, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 57 is a cross-sectional side elevational view showing an inner portion of another exemplary droplet generator, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 58 is a cross-sectional side elevational view showing an inner portion of another exemplary droplet generator, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 59 is a cross-sectional side elevational view showing an inner portion of another exemplary droplet generator, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, showing a sample-containing portion disassembled from a droplet outlet portion.
FIG. 60 is a cross-sectional side elevational view showing the sample-containing portion and the droplet outlet portion of FIG. 59 assembled together.
FIG. 61 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of a droplet generation system including a droplet generator and a fluid reservoir, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 62 is a magnified cross-sectional side elevational view of a distal portion of the droplet generation system of FIG. 61.
FIG. 63 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of a distal portion of another droplet generation system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 64 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of a distal portion of yet another droplet generation system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 65 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of still another droplet generation system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 66 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of still another droplet generation system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 67 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of still another droplet generation system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 68 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of still another droplet generation system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 69 is an isometric view of four different droplet generators, illustrating the relationship between various cross-type droplet generators, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure
FIG. 70 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of another droplet generation system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 71 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of still another droplet generation system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 72 is a flowchart depicting a method of thermocycling a sample/reagent fluid mixture to promote PCR.
FIG. 73 is an exploded isometric view of an exemplary thermocycler, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 74 is an unexploded isometric view of a central portion of the thermocycler of FIG. 73.
FIG. 75 is an isometric view showing a magnified portion of the assembled thermocycler of FIG. 73, which is suitable for relatively small outer diameter fluidic tubing, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 76 is an isometric view showing a magnified portion of an alternative embodiment of the assembled thermocycler, which is suitable for relatively larger outer diameter fluidic tubing, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 77 is a top plan view of the thermocycler of FIG. 73, without the outer segments attached.
FIG. 78 is a schematic sectional view of the thermocycler of FIG. 73, depicting the relative dispositions of the core and other components, taken generally along line C in FIG. 77 as line C in swept through one clockwise revolution about the center of the thermocycler.
FIG. 79 is a magnified isometric view of a central portion of the thermocycler of FIG. 75.
FIG. 80 is a graph of measured temperature versus arc length, as a function of average fluid velocity, near the interface between two inner segments of the thermocycler of FIG. 73.
FIG. 81 is an isometric view of a central portion of a thermocycler having an optional “hot start” region, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 82-89 are schematic sectional views of alternative embodiments of a thermocycler, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 90 is an exploded isometric view of a thermocycler, with associated heating, cooling, and housing elements, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 91 is a side elevational view of an exemplary thermocycler having temperature regions that vary in size along the length of the thermocycler, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 92 is a side elevational view of an exemplary thermocycler having temperature regions that vary in number along the length of the thermocycler, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 93 is a schematic depiction of an optical detection system for irradiating sample-containing droplets and detecting fluorescence subsequently emitted by the droplets, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 94 is a graph of intensity versus time for fluorescence detected by an optical detection system such as the system of FIG. 93, illustrating the distinction between fluorescence emitted by droplets containing a target and droplets not containing a target.
FIG. 95 is a schematic depiction of an optical detection system in which stimulating radiation is transferred toward sample-containing droplets through an optical fiber, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 96 is a schematic depiction of an optical detection system in which scattered and fluorescence radiation are transferred away from sample-containing droplets through optical fibers, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 97 is a schematic depiction of an optical detection system in which stimulating radiation is transferred toward sample-containing droplets through an optical fiber and in which scattered and fluorescence radiation are transferred away from the droplets through optical fibers, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 98 depicts an intersection region where incident radiation intersects with sample-containing droplets traveling through a fluid channel, illustrating how optical fibers may be integrated with sections of fluidic tubing.
FIG. 99A depicts another intersection region where incident radiation intersects with sample-containing droplets traveling through a fluid channel, illustrating how a single optical fiber may be used to transmit both incident radiation and stimulated fluorescence.
FIG. 99B depicts another intersection region configured to transmit both incident radiation and stimulated fluorescence through a single optical fiber, and also configured to transfer radiation to and from substantially one droplet at a time.
FIG. 100 is a schematic depiction of an optical detection system in which the incident radiation is split into a plurality of separate beams, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 101 is a schematic depiction of an optical detection system in which the incident radiation is spread by an adjustable mirror into a relatively wide intersection region, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 102 depicts a flow focus mechanism for separating sample-containing droplets from each other by a desired distance, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 103 depicts another flow focus mechanism for separating sample-containing droplets from each other by a desired distance, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 104 depicts a section of fluidic tubing, illustrating how an appropriate choice of fluid channel diameter can facilitate proper spacing between droplets, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 105 depicts a batch fluorescence detection system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 106 is a flow chart depicting a method of detecting fluorescence from sample-containing droplets, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 107 is a flowchart depicting a method of determining target molecule concentration in a plurality of sample-containing droplets, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 108 is a histogram showing exemplary experimental data in which the number of detected droplets is plotted as a function of a measure of fluorescence intensity.
FIG. 109 is a histogram comparing the experimental data in FIG. 108 (solid line) with fluorescence distributions recreated numerically using various fit orders (dotted and dashed lines).
FIG. 110 is a histogram showing values of least mean square residuals for the fluorescence distributions of FIG. 108 recreated numerically using various fit orders.
FIG. 111 is a flowchart depicting a method of numerically estimating target molecule concentration in a sample, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 112 is an exemplary graph of fluorescence signals that may be measured with respect to time from a flow stream of droplets, with the graph exhibiting a series of peaks representing droplet signals, and with the graph indicating a signal threshold for assigning droplet signals as corresponding to amplification-positive and amplification-negative droplets, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 113 is an exemplary histogram of ranges of droplet signal intensities that may be measured from the flow stream of FIG. 112, with the relative frequency of occurrence of each range indicated by bar height, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 114 is a schematic view of an exemplary system for performing droplet-based tests of nucleic acid amplification with the aid of controls and/or calibrators, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 115 is a schematic view of selected aspects of the system of FIG. 114, with the system in an exemplary configuration for detecting amplification of a nucleic acid target using a first dye, and for controlling for system variation during a test using a second dye, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 116 is a schematic view of exemplary reagents that may be included in the system configuration of FIG. 115, to permit detection of amplification signals in a first detector channel and detection of a passive control signals in a second detector channel, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 117 a flowchart of an exemplary approach to correcting for system variation using the system configuration of FIG. 115, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 118 is a schematic view of selected aspects of the system of FIG. 114, with the system in an exemplary configuration for detecting amplification of a nucleic acid target using a first dye in a set of droplets, and for (a) calibrating the system before, during, and/or after a test or (b) controlling for aspects of system variation during a test using either the first dye or a second dye in another set of droplets, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 119 is an exemplary graph of fluorescence signals that may be detected over time from a flow stream of the system configuration of FIG. 118 during system calibration and sample testing performed serially, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 120 is a flowchart of an exemplary method of correcting for system variation produced during a test using the system configuration of FIG. 118, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 121 is a schematic view of selected aspects of the system of FIG. 114, with the system in an exemplary configuration for testing amplification of a pair of nucleic acid targets in the same droplets, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 122 is a schematic view of selected aspects of the system of FIG. 114, with the system in another exemplary configuration for testing amplification of a pair of nucleic acid targets in the same droplets, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 123 is a schematic view of exemplary target-specific reagents that may be included in the system configurations of FIGS. 121 and 122, to permit detection of amplification signals in a different detector channel (i.e., a different detected wavelength or wavelength range) for each nucleic acid target, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 124 is a pair of exemplary graphs of fluorescence signals that may be detected over time from a flow stream of the system configuration of FIG. 121 or 122 using different detector channels, with one of the channels detecting successful amplification of a control target, thereby indicating no inhibition of amplification, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 125 is a pair of exemplary graphs with fluorescence signals detected generally as in FIG. 124, but with control signals indicating that amplification is inhibited, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 126 is a schematic view of selected aspects of the system of FIG. 114, with the system in an exemplary configuration for testing amplification of a pair of nucleic acid targets using a different set of droplets for each target, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 127 is a pair of exemplary graphs of fluorescence signals that may be detected over time from a flow stream of the system configuration of FIG. 126 using different detector channels, with each channel monitoring amplification of a distinct nucleic acid target, in accordance with aspects of present disclosure.
FIG. 128 is a pair of graphs illustrating exemplary absorption and emission spectra of fluorescent dyes that may be suitable for use in the system of FIG. 114, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 129 is a schematic diagram illustrating exemplary use of the fluorescent dyes of FIG. 128 in an exemplary embodiment of the system of FIG. 114, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 130 is a flowchart of an exemplary approach to correcting for system variation within a test by processing a set of droplet test signals to a more uniform signal intensity, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 131 is a flowchart of an exemplary approach for transforming droplet signals based on the width of respective signal peaks providing the droplet signals, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
The present disclosure provides systems, including apparatus and methods, for performing assays. These systems may involve, among others, (A) preparing a sample, such as a clinical or environmental sample, for analysis, (B) separating components of the samples by partitioning them into droplets or other partitions, each containing only about one component (such as a single copy of a nucleic acid target (DNA or RNA) or other analyte of interest), (C) amplifying or otherwise reacting the components within the droplets, (D) detecting the amplified or reacted components, or characteristics thereof, and/or (E) analyzing the resulting data. In this way, complex samples may be converted into a plurality of simpler, more easily analyzed samples, with concomitant reductions in background and assay times.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary system 500 for performing such a droplet-, or partition-, based assay. In brief, the system may include sample preparation 502, droplet generation 504, reaction (e.g., amplification) 506, detection 508, and data analysis 510. The system may be utilized to perform a digital PCR (polymerase chain reaction) analysis. More specifically, sample preparation 502 may involve collecting a sample, such as a clinical or environmental sample, treating the sample to release associated nucleic acids, and forming a reaction mixture involving the nucleic acids (e.g., for amplification of a target nucleic acid). Droplet generation 504 may involve encapsulating the nucleic acids in droplets, for example, with about one copy of each target nucleic acid per droplet, where the droplets are suspended in an immiscible carrier fluid, such as oil, to form an emulsion. Reaction 506 may involve subjecting the droplets to a suitable reaction, such as thermal cycling to induce PCR amplification, so that target nucleic acids, if any, within the droplets are amplified to form additional copies. Detection 508 may involve detecting some signal(s) from the droplets indicative of whether or not there was amplification. Finally, data analysis 510 may involve estimating a concentration of the target nucleic acid in the sample based on the percentage of droplets in which amplification occurred.
These and other aspects of the system are described below, in the following sections: (I) definitions, (II) system overview/architecture, (III) sample preparation/cartridge, (IV) droplet generator, (V) continuous flow thermocycler, (VI) detection, (VII) quantification/analysis, (VIII) controls and calibrations, (IX) clinical applications, and (X) multiplexed assays.
Technical terms used in this disclosure have the meanings that are commonly recognized by those skilled in the art. However, the following terms may have additional meanings, as described below.
Emulsion—a composition comprising liquid droplets disposed in an immiscible carrier fluid, which also is liquid. The carrier fluid, also termed a background fluid, forms a continuous phase, which may be termed a carrier phase, a carrier, and/or a background phase. The droplets (e.g., aqueous droplets) are formed by at least one droplet fluid, also termed a foreground fluid, which is a liquid and which forms a droplet phase (which may be termed a dispersed phase or discontinuous phase). The droplet phase is immiscible with the continuous phase, which means that the droplet phase (i.e., the droplets) and the continuous phase (i.e., the carrier fluid) do not mix to attain homogeneity. The droplets are isolated from one another by the continuous phase and encapsulated (i.e., enclosed/surrounded) by the continuous phase.
The droplets of an emulsion may have any uniform or non-uniform distribution in the continuous phase. If non-uniform, the concentration of the droplets may vary to provide one or more regions of higher droplet density and one or more regions of lower droplet density in the continuous phase. For example, droplets may sink or float in the continuous phase, may be clustered in one or more packets along a channel, may be focused toward the center or perimeter of a flow stream, or the like.
Any of the emulsions disclosed herein may be monodisperse, that is, composed of droplets of at least generally uniform size, or may be polydisperse, that is, composed of droplets of various sizes. If monodisperse, the droplets of the emulsion may, for example, vary in volume by a standard deviation that is less than about plus or minus 100%, 50%, 20%, 10%, 5%, 2%, or 1% of the average droplet volume. Droplets generated from an orifice may be monodisperse or polydisperse.
An emulsion may have any suitable composition. The emulsion may be characterized by the predominant liquid compound or type of liquid compound in each phase. The predominant liquid compounds in the emulsion may be water and oil. “Oil” is any liquid compound or mixture of liquid compounds that is immiscible with water and that has a high content of carbon. In some examples, oil also may have a high content of hydrogen, fluorine, silicon, oxygen, or any combination thereof, among others. For example, any of the emulsions disclosed herein may be a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion (i.e., aqueous droplets in a continuous oil phase). The oil may, for example, be or include at least one silicone oil, mineral oil, fluorocarbon oil, vegetable oil, or a combination thereof, among others. Any other suitable components may be present in any of the emulsion phases, such as at least one surfactant, reagent, sample (i.e., partitions thereof), other additive, label, particles, or any combination thereof.
Standard emulsions become unstable when heated (e.g., to temperatures above 60° C.) when they are in a packed state (e.g., each droplet is near a neighboring droplet), because heat generally lowers interfacial tensions, which can lead to droplet coalescence. Thus, standard packed emulsions do not maintain their integrity during high-temperature reactions, such as PCR, unless emulsion droplets are kept out of contact with one another or additives (e.g., other oil bases, surfactants, etc.) are used to modify the stability conditions (e.g., interfacial tension, viscosity, steric hindrance, etc.). For example, the droplets may be arranged in single file and spaced from one another along a channel to permit thermal cycling in order to perform PCR. However, following this approach using a standard emulsion does not permit a high density of droplets, thereby substantially limiting throughput in droplet-based assays.
Any emulsion disclosed herein may be a heat-stable emulsion. A heat-stable emulsion is any emulsion that resists coalescence when heated to at least 50° C. A heat-stable emulsion may be a PCR-stable emulsion, which is an emulsion that resists coalescence throughout the thermal cycling of PCR (e.g., to permit performance of digital PCR). Accordingly, a PCR-stable emulsion may be resistant to coalescence when heated to at least 80° C. or 90° C., among others. Due to heat stability, a PCR-stable emulsion, in contrast to a standard emulsion, enables PCR assays to be performed in droplets that remain substantially monodisperse throughout thermal cycling. Accordingly, digital PCR assays with PCR-stable emulsions may be substantially more quantitative than with standard emulsions. An emulsion may be formulated as PCR stable by, for example, proper selection of carrier fluid and surfactants, among others. An exemplary oil formulation to generate PCR-stable emulsions for flow-through assays is as follows: (1) Dow Corning 5225C Formulation Aid (10% active ingredient in decamethylcyclopentasiloxane)—20% w/w, 2% w/w final concentration active ingredient, (2) Dow Corning 749 Fluid (50% active ingredient in decamethylcyclopentasiloxane)—5% w/w, 2.5% w/w active ingredient, and (3) Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Dow Corning 200® fluid, viscosity 5.0 cSt (25° C.)—75% w/w. An exemplary oil formulation to generate PCR-stable emulsions for batch assays is as follows: (1) Dow Corning 5225C Formulation Aid (10% active ingredient in decamethylcyclopentasiloxane)—20% w/w, 2% w/w final concentration active ingredient, (2) Dow Corning 749 Fluid (50% active ingredient in decamethylcyclopentasiloxane)—60% w/w, 30% w/w active ingredient, and (3) Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Dow Corning 200® fluid, viscosity 5.0 cSt (25° C.)—20% w/w.
Partition—a separated portion of a bulk volume. The partition may be a sample partition generated from a sample, such as a prepared sample, that forms the bulk volume. Partitions generated from a bulk volume may be substantially uniform in size or may have distinct sizes (e.g., sets of partitions of two or more discrete, uniform sizes). Exemplary partitions are droplets. Partitions may also vary continuously in size with a predetermined size distribution or with a random size distribution.
Droplet—a small volume of liquid, typically with a spherical shape, encapsulated by an immiscible fluid, such as a continuous phase of an emulsion. The volume of a droplet, and/or the average volume of droplets in an emulsion, may, for example, be less than about one microliter (i.e., a “microdroplet”) (or between about one microliter and one nanoliter or between about one microliter and one picoliter), less than about one nanoliter (or between about one nanoliter and one picoliter), or less than about one picoliter (or between about one picoliter and one femtoliter), among others. A droplet (or droplets of an emulsion) may have a diameter (or an average diameter) of less than about 1000, 100, or 10 micrometers, or of about 1000 to 10 micrometers, among others. A droplet may be spherical or nonspherical. A droplet may be a simple droplet or a compound droplet, that is, a droplet in which at least one droplet encapsulates at least one other droplet.
Surfactant—a surface-active agent capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved, and/or the interfacial tension with another phase. A surfactant, which also or alternatively may be described as a detergent and/or a wetting agent, incorporates both a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion, which collectively confer a dual hydrophilic-lipophilic character on the surfactant. A surfactant may be characterized according to a Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance (HLB) value, which is a measure of the surfactant's hydrophilicity compared to its lipophilicity. HLB values range from 0-60 and define the relative affinity of a surfactant for water and oil. Nonionic surfactants generally have HLB values ranging from 0-20 and ionic surfactants may have HLB values of up to 60. Hydrophilic surfactants have HLB values greater than about 10 and a greater affinity for water than oil. Lipophilic surfactants have HLB values less than about 10 and a greater affinity for oil than water. The emulsions disclosed herein and/or any phase thereof, may include at least one hydrophilic surfactant, at least one lipophilic surfactant, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, or in addition, the emulsions disclosed herein and/or any phase thereof, may include at least one nonionic (and/or ionic) detergent. Furthermore, an emulsion disclosed herein and/or any phase thereof may include a surfactant comprising polyethyleneglycol, polypropyleneglycol, or Tween 20, among others.
Packet—a set of droplets or other isolated partitions disposed in the same continuous volume or volume region of a continuous phase. A packet thus may, for example, constitute all of the droplets of an emulsion or may constitute a segregated fraction of such droplets at a position along a channel. Typically, a packet refers to a collection of droplets that when analyzed in partial or total give a statistically relevant sampling to quantitatively make a prediction regarding a property of the entire starting sample from which the initial packet of droplets was made. The packet of droplets also indicates a spatial proximity between the first and the last droplets of the packet in a channel.
As an analogy with information technology, each droplet serves as a “bit” of information that may contain sequence specific information from a target analyte within a starting sample. A packet of droplets is then the sum of all these “bits” of information that together provide statistically relevant information on the analyte of interest from the starting sample. As with a binary computer, a packet of droplets is analogous to the contiguous sequence of bits that comprises the smallest unit of binary data on which meaningful computations can be applied. A packet of droplets can be encoded temporally and/or spatially relative to other packets that are also disposed in a continuous phase (such as in a flow stream), and/or with the addition of other encoded information (optical, magnetic, etc.) that uniquely identifies the packet relative to other packets.
Test—a procedure(s) and/or reaction(s) used to characterize a sample, and any signal(s), value(s), data, and/or result(s) obtained from the procedure(s) and/or reaction(s). A test also may be described as an assay. Exemplary droplet-based assays are biochemical assays using aqueous assay mixtures. More particularly, the droplet-based assays may be enzyme assays and/or binding assays, among others. The enzyme assays may, for example, determine whether individual droplets contain a copy of a substrate molecule (e.g., a nucleic acid target) for an enzyme and/or a copy of an enzyme molecule. Based on these assay results, a concentration and/or copy number of the substrate and/or the enzyme in a sample may be estimated.
Reaction—a chemical reaction, a binding interaction, a phenotypic change, or a combination thereof, which generally provides a detectable signal (e.g., a fluorescence signal) indicating occurrence and/or an extent of occurrence of the reaction. An exemplary reaction is an enzyme reaction that involves an enzyme-catalyzed conversion of a substrate to a product.
Any suitable enzyme reactions may be performed in the droplet-based assays disclosed herein. For example, the reactions may be catalyzed by a kinase, nuclease, nucleotide cyclase, nucleotide ligase, nucleotide phosphodiesterase, polymerase (DNA or RNA), prenyl transferase, pyrophospatase, reporter enzyme (e.g., alkaline phosphatase, beta-galactosidase, chloramphenicol acetyl transferase, glucuronidase, horse radish peroxidase, luciferase, etc.), reverse transcriptase, topoisomerase, etc.
Sample—a compound, composition, and/or mixture of interest, from any suitable source(s). A sample is the general subject of interest for a test that analyzes an aspect of the sample, such as an aspect related to at least one analyte that may be present in the sample. Samples may be analyzed in their natural state, as collected, and/or in an altered state, for example, following storage, preservation, extraction, lysis, dilution, concentration, purification, filtration, mixing with one or more reagents, pre-amplification (e.g., to achieve target enrichment by performing limited cycles (e.g., <15) of PCR on sample prior to PCR), removal of amplicon (e.g., treatment with uracil-d-glycosylase (UDG) prior to PCR to eliminate any carry-over contamination by a previously generated amplicon (i.e., the amplicon is digestable with UDG because it is generated with dUTP instead of dTTP)), partitioning, or any combination thereof, among others. Clinical samples may include nasopharyngeal wash, blood, plasma, cell free plasma, buffy coat, saliva, urine, stool, sputum, mucous, wound swab, tissue biopsy, milk, a fluid aspirate, a swab (e.g., a nasopharyngeal swab), and/or tissue, among others. Environmental samples may include water, soil, aerosol, and/or air, among others. Research samples may include cultured cells, primary cells, bacteria, spores, viruses, small organisms, any of the clinical samples listed above, or the like. Additional samples may include foodstuffs, weapons components, biodefense samples to be tested for bio-threat agents, suspected contaminants, and so on.
Samples may be collected for diagnostic purposes (e.g., the quantitative measurement of a clinical analyte such as an infectious agent) or for monitoring purposes (e.g., to determine that an environmental analyte of interest such as a bio-threat agent has exceeded a predetermined threshold).
Analyte—a component(s) or potential component(s) of a sample that is analyzed in a test. An analyte is a specific subject of interest in a test where the sample is the general subject of interest. An analyte may, for example, be a nucleic acid, protein, peptide, enzyme, cell, bacteria, spore, virus, organelle, macromolecular assembly, drug candidate, lipid, carbohydrate, metabolite, or any combination thereof, among others. An analyte may be tested for its presence, activity, and/or other characteristic in a sample and/or in partitions thereof. The presence of an analyte may relate to an absolute or relative number, concentration, binary assessment (e.g., present or absent), or the like, of the analyte in a sample or in one or more partitions thereof. In some examples, a sample may be partitioned such that a copy of the analyte is not present in all of the partitions, such as being present in the partitions at an average concentration of about 0.0001 to 10,000, 0.001 to 1000, 0.01 to 100, 0.1 to 10, or one copy per partition.
Reagent—a compound, set of compounds, and/or composition that is combined with a sample in order to perform a particular test(s) on the sample. A reagent may be a target-specific reagent, which is any reagent composition that confers specificity for detection of a particular target(s) or analyte(s) in a test. A reagent optionally may include a chemical reactant and/or a binding partner for the test. A reagent may, for example, include at least one nucleic acid, protein (e.g., an enzyme), cell, virus, organelle, macromolecular assembly, potential drug, lipid, carbohydrate, inorganic substance, or any combination thereof, and may be an aqueous composition, among others. In exemplary embodiments, the reagent may be an amplification reagent, which may include at least one primer or at least one pair of primers for amplification of a nucleic acid target, at least one probe and/or dye to enable detection of amplification, a polymerase, nucleotides (dNTPs and/or NTPs), divalent magnesium ions, potassium chloride, buffer, or any combination thereof, among others.
Nucleic acid—a compound comprising a chain of nucleotide monomers. A nucleic acid may be single-stranded or double-stranded (i.e., base-paired with another nucleic acid), among others. The chain of a nucleic acid may be composed of any suitable number of monomers, such as at least about ten or one-hundred, among others. Generally, the length of a nucleic acid chain corresponds to its source, with synthetic nucleic acids (e.g., primers and probes) typically being shorter, and biologically/enzymatically generated nucleic acids (e.g., nucleic acid analytes) typically being longer.
A nucleic acid may have a natural or artificial structure, or a combination thereof. Nucleic acids with a natural structure, namely, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), generally have a backbone of alternating pentose sugar groups and phosphate groups. Each pentose group is linked to a nucleobase (e.g., a purine (such as adenine (A) or guanine (T)) or a pyrimidine (such as cytosine (C), thymine (T), or uracil (U))). Nucleic acids with an artificial structure are analogs of natural nucleic acids and may, for example, be created by changes to the pentose and/or phosphate groups of the natural backbone. Exemplary artificial nucleic acids include glycol nucleic acids (GNA), peptide nucleic acids (PNA), locked nucleic acid (LNA), threose nucleic acids (TNA), and the like.
The sequence of a nucleic acid is defined by the order in which nucleobases are arranged along the backbone. This sequence generally determines the ability of the nucleic acid to bind specifically to a partner chain (or to form an intramolecular duplex) by hydrogen bonding. In particular, adenine pairs with thymine (or uracil) and guanine pairs with cytosine. A nucleic acid that can bind to another nucleic acid in an antiparallel fashion by forming a consecutive string of such base pairs with the other nucleic acid is termed “complementary.”
Replication—a process forming a copy (i.e., a direct copy and/or a complementary copy) of a nucleic acid or a segment thereof. Replication generally involves an enzyme, such as a polymerase and/or a ligase, among others. The nucleic acid and/or segment replicated is a template (and/or a target) for replication.
Amplification—a reaction in which replication occurs repeatedly over time to form multiple copies of at least one segment of a template molecule. Amplification may generate an exponential or linear increase in the number of copies as amplification proceeds. Typical amplifications produce a greater than 1,000-fold increase in copy number and/or signal. Exemplary amplification reactions for the droplet-based assays disclosed herein may include the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or ligase chain reaction, each of which is driven by thermal cycling. The droplet-based assays also or alternatively may use other amplification reactions, which may be performed isothermally, such as branched-probe DNA assays, cascade-RCA, helicase-dependent amplification, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), nucleic acid based amplification (NASBA), nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR), PAN-AC, Q-beta replicase amplification, rolling circle replication (RCA), self-sustaining sequence replication, strand-displacement amplification, and the like. Amplification may utilize a linear or circular template.
Amplification may be performed with any suitable reagents. Amplification may be performed, or tested for its occurrence, in an amplification mixture, which is any composition capable of generating multiple copies of a nucleic acid target molecule, if present, in the composition. An amplification mixture may include any combination of at least one primer or primer pair, at least one probe, at least one replication enzyme (e.g., at least one polymerase, such as at least one DNA and/or RNA polymerase), and deoxynucleotide (and/or nucleotide) triphosphates (dNTPs and/or NTPs), among others. Further aspects of assay mixtures and detection strategies that enable multiplexed amplification and detection of two or more target species in the same droplet are described elsewhere herein, such as in Section X, among others.
PCR—nucleic acid amplification that relies on alternating cycles of heating and cooling (i.e., thermal cycling) to achieve successive rounds of replication. PCR may be performed by thermal cycling between two or more temperature set points, such as a higher melting (denaturation) temperature and a lower annealing/extension temperature, or among three or more temperature set points, such as a higher melting temperature, a lower annealing temperature, and an intermediate extension temperature, among others. PCR may be performed with a thermostable polymerase, such as Taq DNA polymerase (e.g., wild-type enzyme, a Stoffel fragment, FastStart polymerase, etc.), Pfu DNA polymerase, S-Tbr polymerase, Tth polymerase, Vent polymerase, or a combination thereof, among others. PCR generally produces an exponential increase in the amount of a product amplicon over successive cycles.
Any suitable PCR methodology or combination of methodologies may be utilized in the droplet-based assays disclosed herein, such as allele-specific PCR, assembly PCR, asymmetric PCR, digital PCR, endpoint PCR, hot-start PCR, in situ PCR, intersequence-specific PCR, inverse PCR, linear after exponential PCR, ligation-mediated PCR, methylation-specific PCR, miniprimer PCR, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, multiplex PCR, nested PCR, overlap-extension PCR, polymerase cycling assembly, qualitative PCR, quantitative PCR, real-time PCR, RT-PCR, single-cell PCR, solid-phase PCR, thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR, touchdown PCR, or universal fast walking PCR, among others.
Digital PCR—PCR performed on portions of a sample to determine the presence/absence, concentration, and/or copy number of a nucleic acid target in the sample, based on how many of the sample portions support amplification of the target. Digital PCR may (or may not) be performed as endpoint PCR. Digital PCR may (or may not) be performed as real-time PCR for each of the partitions.
PCR theoretically results in an exponential amplification of a nucleic acid sequence (analyte) from a sample. By measuring the number of amplification cycles required to achieve a threshold level of amplification (as in real-time PCR), one can theoretically calculate the starting concentration of nucleic acid. In practice, however, there are many factors that make the PCR process non-exponential, such as varying amplification efficiencies, low copy numbers of starting nucleic acid, and competition with background contaminant nucleic acid. Digital PCR is generally insensitive to these factors, since it does not rely on the assumption that the PCR process is exponential. In digital PCR, individual nucleic acid molecules are separated from the initial sample into partitions, then amplified to detectable levels. Each partition then provides digital information on the presence or absence of each individual nucleic acid molecule within each partition. When enough partitions are measured using this technique, the digital information can be consolidated to make a statistically relevant measure of starting concentration for the nucleic acid target (analyte) in the sample.
The concept of digital PCR may be extended to other types of analytes, besides nucleic acids. In particular, a signal amplification reaction may be utilized to permit detection of a single copy of a molecule of the analyte in individual droplets, to permit data analysis of droplet signals for other analytes in the manner described in Section VII (e.g., using an algorithm based on Poisson statistics). Exemplary signal amplification reactions that permit detection of single copies of other types of analytes in droplets include enzyme reactions.
Qualitative PCR—a PCR-based analysis that determines whether or not a target is present in a sample, generally without any substantial quantification of target presence. In exemplary embodiments, digital PCR that is qualitative may be performed by determining whether a packet of droplets contains at least a predefined percentage of positive droplets (a positive sample) or not (a negative sample).
Quantitative PCR—a PCR-based analysis that determines a concentration and/or copy number of a target in a sample.
RT-PCR (reverse transcription-PCR)—PCR utilizing a complementary DNA template produced by reverse transcription of RNA. RT-PCR permits analysis of an RNA sample by (1) forming complementary DNA copies of RNA, such as with a reverse transcriptase enzyme, and (2) PCR amplification using the complementary DNA as a template. In some embodiments, the same enzyme, such as Tth polymerase, may be used for reverse transcription and PCR.
Real-time PCR—a PCR-based analysis in which amplicon formation is measured during the reaction, such as after completion of one or more thermal cycles prior to the final thermal cycle of the reaction. Real-time PCR generally provides quantification of a target based on the kinetics of target amplification.
Endpoint PCR—a PCR-based analysis in which amplicon formation is measured after the completion of thermal cycling.
Amplicon—a product of an amplification reaction. An amplicon may be single-stranded or double-stranded, or a combination thereof. An amplicon corresponds to any suitable segment or the entire length of a nucleic acid target.
Primer—a nucleic acid capable of, and/or used for, priming replication of a nucleic acid template. Thus, a primer is a shorter nucleic acid that is complementary to a longer template. During replication, the primer is extended, based on the template sequence, to produce a longer nucleic acid that is a complementary copy of the template. A primer may be DNA, RNA, an analog thereof (i.e., an artificial nucleic acid), or any combination thereof. A primer may have any suitable length, such as at least about 10, 15, 20, or 30 nucleotides. Exemplary primers are synthesized chemically. Primers may be supplied as at least one pair of primers for amplification of at least one nucleic acid target. A pair of primers may be a sense primer and an antisense primer that collectively define the opposing ends (and thus the length) of a resulting amplicon.
Probe—a nucleic acid connected to at least one label, such as at least one dye. A probe may be a sequence-specific binding partner for a nucleic acid target and/or amplicon. The probe may be designed to enable detection of target amplification based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). An exemplary probe for the nucleic acid assays disclosed herein includes one or more nucleic acids connected to a pair of dyes that collectively exhibit fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) when proximate one another. The pair of dyes may provide first and second emitters, or an emitter and a quencher, among others. Fluorescence emission from the pair of dyes changes when the dyes are separated from one another, such as by cleavage of the probe during primer extension (e.g., a 5 nuclease assay, such as with a TAQMAN probe), or when the probe hybridizes to an amplicon (e.g., a molecular beacon probe). The nucleic acid portion of the probe may have any suitable structure or origin, for example, the portion may be a locked nucleic acid, a member of a universal probe library, or the like. In other cases, a probe and one of the primers of a primer pair may be combined in the same molecule (e.g., AMPLIFLUOR primers or SCORPION primers). As an example, the primer-probe molecule may include a primer sequence at its 3′ end and a molecular beacon-style probe at its 5′ end. With this arrangement, related primer-probe molecules labeled with different dyes can be used in a multiplexed assay with the same reverse primer to quantify target sequences differing by a single nucleotide (single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)). Another exemplary probe for droplet-based nucleic acid assays is a Plexor primer.
Label—an identifying and/or distinguishing marker or identifier connected to or incorporated into any entity, such as a compound, biological particle (e.g., a cell, bacteria, spore, virus, or organelle), or droplet. A label may, for example, be a dye that renders an entity optically detectable and/or optically distinguishable. Exemplary dyes used for labeling are fluorescent dyes (fluorophores) and fluorescence quenchers.
Reporter—a compound or set of compounds that reports a condition, such as the extent of a reaction. Exemplary reporters comprise at least one dye, such as a fluorescent dye or an energy transfer pair, and/or at least one oligonucleotide. Exemplary reporters for nucleic acid amplification assays may include a probe and/or an intercalating dye (e.g., SYBR Green, ethidium bromide, etc.).
Code—a mechanism for differentiating distinct members of a set. Exemplary codes to differentiate different types of droplets may include different droplet sizes, dyes, combinations of dyes, amounts of one or more dyes, enclosed code particles, or any combination thereof, among others. A code may, for example, be used to distinguish different packets of droplets, or different types of droplets within a packet, among others.
Binding partner—a member of a pair of members that bind to one another. Each member may be a compound or biological particle (e.g., a cell, bacteria, spore, virus, organelle, or the like), among others. Binding partners may bind specifically to one another. Specific binding may be characterized by a dissociation constant of less than about 10−4, 10−6, 10−8, or 10−10 M. Exemplary specific binding partners include biotin and avidin/streptavidin, a sense nucleic acid and a complementary antisense nucleic acid (e.g., a probe and an amplicon), a primer and its target, an antibody and a corresponding antigen, a receptor and its ligand, and the like.
Channel—an elongate passage for fluid travel. A channel generally includes at least one inlet, where fluid enters the channel, and at least one outlet, where fluid exits the channel. The functions of the inlet and the outlet may be interchangeable, that is, fluid may flow through a channel in only one direction or in opposing directions, generally at different times. A channel may include walls that define and enclose the passage between the inlet and the outlet. A channel may, for example, be formed by a tube (e.g., a capillary tube), in or on a planar structure (e.g., a chip), or a combination thereof, among others. A channel may or may not branch. A channel may be linear or nonlinear. Exemplary nonlinear channels include a channel extending along a planar flow path (e.g., a serpentine channel) a nonplanar flow path (e.g., a helical channel to provide a helical flow path). Any of the channels disclosed herein may be a microfluidic channel, which is a channel having a characteristic transverse dimension (e.g., the channel's average diameter) of less than about one millimeter. Channels also may include one or more venting mechanisms to allow fluid to enter/exit without the need for an open outlet. Examples of venting mechanisms include but are not limited to hydrophobic vent openings or the use of porous materials to either make up a portion of the channel or to block an outlet if present.
Fluidics Network—an assembly for manipulating fluid, generally by transferring fluid between compartments of the assembly and/or by driving flow of fluid along and/or through one or more flow paths defined by the assembly. A fluidics network may include any suitable structure, such as one or more channels, chambers, reservoirs, valves, pumps, thermal control devices (e.g., heaters/coolers), sensors (e.g., for measuring temperature, pressure, flow, etc.), or any combination thereof, among others.
II. SYSTEM OVERVIEW/ARCHITECTURE
This Section describes the architecture of illustrative systems, including methods and apparatus, for droplet-based assays. The features and aspects of the systems disclosed in this Section may be combined with one another and/or with any suitable aspects and features of methods and apparatus shown and/or described elsewhere in the present disclosure. Additional pertinent disclosure may be found in the U.S. provisional patent applications listed above under Cross-References and incorporated herein by reference, particularly Ser. No. 61/277,270, filed Sep. 22, 2009.
A. Exemplary Instrument-Cartridge System for Sample Preparation and Analysis
FIGS. 2 and 3A show perspective and schematic views, respectively, of an exemplary system 600 for performing droplet-based assays. System 610 may comprise an instrument 612 and one or more sample cartridges 614 that connect to the instrument, to provide sample preparation that is actuated and controlled by the instrument. Sample preparation may include any combination of the processes disclosed in Section III or elsewhere in the present disclosure, such as extraction, purification, lysis, concentration, dilution, reagent mixing, and/or droplet generation, among others. Instrument 612 may perform amplification of nucleic acid in the droplets, detection of signals from the droplets, and data analysis, among others.
Instrument 612 may be equipped with a sample loading region 616, a reagent fluidics assembly 618, a thermal cycler 620, a detector 622, control electronics 624 (i.e., a controller), and a user interface 626, among others. The instrument also may include a housing 628, which may support, position, fix, enclose, protect, insulate, and/or permit/restrict access to each other instrument component.
Sample loading region 616 may permit placement of sample cartridges 614 into the instrument, generally after a sample has been introduced into a port of each cartridge. The sample loading region may have an open configuration for receiving sample cartridges and a closed configuration that restricts cartridge introduction and removal (e.g., during instrument actuation of loaded sample cartridges). For example, the sample loading region may include a tray 630 that is an extendible and retractable and that receives the sample cartridges and positions the cartridges for operational engagement with instrument 612. The tray may be pulled out manually for loading sample cartridges into the tray and pushed in manually for cartridge operation, or may be coupled to a drive mechanism that drives opening and closing of the sample loading region.
Sample cartridges 614 are depicted in various positions in FIG. 2. Some of the cartridges have been loaded into tray 630, which is extended, while other cartridges are disposed outside instrument 612 (e.g., stacked, indicated at 632), before or after their use with the instrument. The sample cartridges may be primed/loaded with one or more fluid reagents before the cartridges are connected to the instrument (e.g., during cartridge manufacture), and/or the sample cartridges may be primed with one or more fluid reagents supplied by the instrument. Further aspects of sample cartridges that may be suitable for use with instrument 612 are described elsewhere in the present disclosure, particularly in Section III.
FIG. 3B shows a schematic view of selected aspects of system 610. The arrows extending across junctions between system components generally show directions of fluid or data flow within the system. The line segments extending across the junctions indicate an electrical connection and/or signal communication.
Sample cartridges 614 may receive fluid for sample preparation from reagent fluidics assembly 618. Fluidics assembly 618 may include reagent cartridges or containers 634 (also see FIG. 2), which may be disposable and/or reusable (i.e., refillable). Fluidics assembly 618 also may include sample cartridge fluidics 636, which, in conjunction with a fluidics controller and injector 638, enable controlled fluid flow. For example, fluid may flow from the reagent cartridges to the sample cartridges, may flow within each sample cartridge, and/or may flow from each sample cartridge to thermal cycler 620 as droplets disposed in an immiscible carrier fluid.
Thermal cycler 620 may subject the droplets to thermal cycles that promote amplification, in preparation for detection of droplet signals by detector 622. Further aspects of thermal cyclers and detectors are described elsewhere herein, such as in Sections V and VI. After detection, the droplets and carrier fluid may flow to a waste receptacle 640.
Data from detector 622 may be communicated to control electronics 624. The control electronics may analyze the data (e.g., as described in Section VII), and communicate the data to user interface 626, among others. The control electronics also may receive input data, such as preferences, instructions, and/or commands, from the user interface. The control electronics may be in communication with and/or may be programmed to control any other aspects of system 600. For example, the control electronics may be in communication with cartridges 614. In some embodiments, each cartridge may be a “smart cartridge” that carries a memory device 627. The memory device may be readable by the controller, and, optionally, writable, too. The memory device may carry information about the cartridge, such as reagents pre-loaded to the cartridge, data about the loaded sample, aspects of sample processing performed by the cartridge, or any combination thereof, among others. The control electronics also may be connected to an external communication port 642, which also may provide data input/output. A power supply 644 (e.g., a line or battery power source) may provide power to the control electronics. The power may be conditioned by any suitable element(s) (e.g., a rectifier) between the power supply and the control electronics.
B. Exemplary Instrument for Analysis of Pre-Prepared Samples
FIG. 4 shows another exemplary system constructed as an instrument 650 for performing droplet-based assays. Instrument 650 may be capable of performing droplet-based assays of nucleic acid amplification, generally as described above for system 610. However, instrument 650 may be designed to process and analyze samples that are supplied as pre-formed emulsions or prepared samples (e.g., purified nucleic acids that are not yet in emulsion form).
Instrument 650 may be equipped with a sample loading region 652, a reagent fluidics assembly 654, a thermal cycler 656, a detector 658, control electronics 660 (i.e., a controller), a user interface 662, and a housing 664, among others, which each may function generally as described above for system 610. However, sample loading region 652 and reagent fluidics assembly 654 may differ from the analogous structures in instrument 612. In particular, the sample preparation procedures performed in the sample cartridges of system 610 (see FIG. 2) are performed outside of instrument 650, before sample loading.
Sample loading region 652 may include a tray 666 and an array of compartments or reservoirs 668, such as wells. Reservoirs 668 may be provided by a plate 670, such as a microplate, which may be received and/or supported by the tray. Plate 670 may be removable, to permit placing samples into reservoirs 668 while the plate is spaced from the instrument. Alternatively, or in addition, samples may be placed into reservoirs 668 while the reservoirs are supported by the tray/instrument. In some examples, plate 670 may be a droplet generator plate (e.g., see below in this Section and Sections III and IV). If structured as a droplet generator plate, the plate may generate droplets before or after the plate is loaded into instrument 650.
Each reservoir may receive a pre-prepared sample. The pre-prepared sample may or may not be in emulsion form. If not in emulsion form, the sample may have been processed before loading into the reservoir (e.g., processed by extraction, purification, lysis, concentration, dilution, reagent mixing, or any combination thereof), to ready the sample for droplet generation. Alternatively, the sample may be a pre-formed emulsion of droplets in an immiscible carrier fluid. The emulsion may be formed prior to loading the sample into the reservoir by partitioning into droplets an assay mixture that includes a sample and at least one reagent. Each droplet thus may contain a partition of the sample. Droplet packets from the emulsions may be transported serially or in parallel from reservoirs 668 to at least one thermal cycler 656 of the instrument.
User interface 662 of instrument 650 may (or may not) be different in configuration from user interface 626 of system 610 (compare FIGS. 2 and 4). For example, user interface 662 may be spaced from the body of instrument 650 (e.g., disposed outside of and spaced from housing 664). User interface 662 may be in wired or wireless communication with control electronics 660 of the instrument.
C. Overview of Droplet-Based Assay Systems
FIG. 5 shows a flowchart 680 listing exemplary steps that may be performed in a method of sample analysis using droplet-based assays. The steps listed may be performed in any suitable combination and in any suitable order and may be combined with any other step(s) of the present disclosure.
At least one sample may be loaded, indicated at 682. The sample may be loaded by placing the sample into a port (e.g., a well, chamber, channel, etc.) defined by any of the system components disclosed herein. The sample may be loaded in any suitable form, such as unlysed or lysed, purified or crude, pre-mixed with reagent or not pre-mixed, diluted or concentrated, partitioned into droplets or non-partitioned, or the like. In some cases, a plurality of samples may be loaded into respective ports and/or into an array of reservoirs.
The sample may be processed, indicated at 684. Any suitable combination of sample processing steps may be performed after (and/or before) sample loading to prepare the sample for droplet generation. Exemplary processing steps are described in Section III.
Droplets may be generated from the sample, indicated at 686. For example, droplet generation may be performed after the sample has been modified by mixing it with one or more reagents to form a bulk assay mixture. Droplet generation may divide the bulk assay mixture into a plurality of partitioned assay mixtures (and thus sample partitions) that are isolated from one another in respective droplets by an intervening, immiscible carrier fluid. The droplets may be generated from a sample serially, such as from one orifice and/or one droplet generator (which may be termed an emulsion generator). Alternatively, the droplets may be generated in parallel from a sample, such as from two or more orifices and/or two or more droplet generators in fluid communication with (and/or supplied by) the same sample. As another example, droplets may be generated in parallel from a perforated plate defining an array of orifices. In some examples, the droplets may be generated in bulk, such as by agitation or sonication, among others. In some examples, a plurality of emulsions may be generated, either serially or in parallel, from a plurality of samples.
Droplets may be loaded (i.e., introduced) into a reaction site (also termed a reactor), indicated at 688. The droplets may be loaded by flow transport, which may be continuous or stopped one or more times. Thus, the droplets may (or may not) be stored, indicated at 690, at one or more discrete storage sites, after their generation and before loading into the reaction site. Alternatively, the droplets may be loaded into a reaction site without substantial flow, for example, with the droplets contained by a vessel that is moved to the reaction site. In other examples, the droplets may be generated at the reaction site (e.g., inside a thermal cycler). In any event, after droplet generation, droplets may be placed into a reaction site with the droplets disposed in a vial (or other vessel), a reaction channel (e.g., in tubing), an imaging chamber/flow cell with a high aspect ratio, or the like. Further aspects of droplet manipulation, such as selection for transport/loading, transport, storage, routing, pre-processing (e.g., heating), and concentration are described below in this Section.
A “reaction site” is a region where droplets are subjected to conditions to promote one or more reactions of interest, such as nucleic acid amplification. Accordingly, a reaction site may provide one or more temperature-controlled zones of fixed or varying temperature (and/or other physical conditions) suitable for a particular reaction(s) to be performed and/or promoted in the droplets. The reaction site may be a flow-through site, where the droplets are subjected to fixed or varying reaction conditions while flowing through at least one channel or may be a static site where the droplets are subjected to fixed or varying reaction conditions while the droplets are disposed in a stationary volume of fluid (i.e., not flowing). An exemplary reaction site, namely, a flow-based thermal cycler, is included in many of the exemplary systems of this Section and is described in more detail in Section V.
Droplets may be “reacted,” indicated at 692. More specifically, the droplets may be subjected to one or more suitable reaction conditions in a reaction site, according to the type of assay mixture(s) contained by the droplets, such that components of the droplets, or the droplets themselves, undergo a desired reaction (or change of state). For example, the droplets may be subjected to thermal cycling (or may be processed isothermally) for amplification assays, such as any of the assays described in Section I, among others.
Reaction of droplets generally subjects the droplets to one or more conditions that promote at least one binding and/or chemical reaction of interest in the droplets. Reaction of droplets also generally subjects the droplets to each condition for a predefined period (or periods) of time, which may be fixed or variable, and may be repeated. The droplets may be subjected to two or more conditions serially or in parallel, and once or a plurality of times, for example, cyclically. Exemplary conditions include a temperature condition (i.e., to maintain droplet temperature, heat droplets, and/or or cool droplets), exposure to light, variations in pressure, or the like.
Droplets may be reacted by flow through a reaction site, in a “flow reaction.” Droplets may be subjected to at least one condition that is uniform or that varies spatially along a flow path through the reaction site. For example, the temperature along the flow path may vary spatially, to heat and cool droplets as the droplets follow the flow path. In other words, the reaction site may include one, two, or more temperature-controlled zones of at least substantially fixed temperature that the droplets travel through. Further aspects of flow-through reaction sites with fixed temperature zones and thermal cycling are described elsewhere herein, such as in Section V, among others.
Droplets alternatively may be reacted while disposed in a static volume of fluid, that is, without substantial fluid flow, in a “static reaction.” For example, the droplets may react while disposed in a well or a chamber, among others. In this case, the droplets may be subjected to a fixed condition during the reaction (e.g., a fixed temperature for an isothermal reaction), or to a variable condition that varies temporally (i.e., with respect to time) during the reaction (without the requirement for the droplets to move). For example, the droplets may be held in a temperature-controlled zone that changes in temperature over time, such as cyclically to perform PCR. In any event, static reactions may permit batch reaction of arrays of emulsions in parallel, such as in batch amplification of emulsions.
Droplets may be detected, indicated at 694. Detection may be performed serially while the droplets are flowing (i.e., flow-based or dynamic detection). Alternatively, detection may be performed with the droplets disposed in a static volume of fluid (i.e., static detection, such as with flow stopped (i.e., stopped-flow detection)). In some examples, static detection (or dynamic detection) may include imaging a set of substantially static (or flowing) droplets, which may be arranged generally linearly or in a plane, to obtain an image of the droplets. Further aspects of detection, including flow-based and stopped-flow detection are described elsewhere herein, such as in Section VI, among others.
Dynamic/static modes of reaction and detection may be combined in any suitable manner. For example, flow-based reaction of droplets may be combined with flow-based detection or stopped-flow detection (e.g., imaging) of the droplets. Alternatively, static reaction of droplets, such as batch amplification of emulsions, may be combined with flow-based detection or static detection (e.g., imaging) of the droplets.
Data detected from the droplets may be analyzed, indicated at 696. Data analysis may, for example, assign droplet signals as positive or negative for amplification of a nucleic acid target (or two or more targets in a multiplexed reaction), may determine a number and/or fraction of the droplets that are positive for amplification, may estimate a total presence (e.g., concentration and/or number of molecules) of the nucleic acid target in the sample, or the like. Further aspects of data analysis are described elsewhere herein, such as in Sections VII and VIII, among others.
FIG. 6 shows selected portions of an exemplary system 700 for performing droplet-based assays. Any one component or combination of the depicted system components may be omitted from the system, and any additional components disclosed elsewhere herein may be added to the system. The arrows indicate an exemplary sequence in which sample, droplets, and/or data may move between structural components of the system. However, each of the structural components may be used more than once with the same droplets, and/or may be utilized in a different sequence than shown here.
System 700 may include one or more of any or each of the following components: a sample processor 702 (also termed a sample processing station), a droplet generator 704, a droplet transporter 706, a reaction site (or reactor) 708 (also termed a reaction station (e.g., a heating station, which may heat or heat and cool), a detector 710 (also termed a detection station), and a controller 712, among others. Any combination of the components may be connected to one another physically, fluidically, electrically, and/for signal transfer, among others.
The components may operate as follows, with reference to steps of method 680 (FIG. 5). Sample processor 702 may receive a sample to be analyzed, such as a sample that is loaded in step 682, and may process the sample in the manner described above for step 684. Droplet generator 704 may generate droplets as described for step 686. Droplet transporter 706 may load the droplets generated, as described for step 688, and thus may provide selectable transport/loading, transport, storage (step 690), routing, pre-processing (e.g., heating), and concentration, among others, of the generated droplets. Reaction site 708 may enable a flow reaction or a static reaction of the loaded droplets, and detector 710 may provide dynamic or static detection of droplets, as described for step 694. Controller 712 may analyze data received from detector 710, as described for step 696. Also, controller 712 may be in communication with and/or may be programmed to control any suitable combination of system components, as indicated by dashed lines extending from the controller to each other system component. Controller also may contain a computer-readable medium (e.g., a storage device, such as a hard drive, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, floppy disk, flash memory device, etc.) including instructions for performing any of the methods disclosed herein.
D. Exemplary System with Flow-Based Amplification
FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of an exemplary system 720 with flow-based amplification and with droplet loading that is decoupled from droplet generation. Any one component or combination of the depicted system components may be omitted from the system, and any additional components disclosed elsewhere herein may be added to the system. The solid arrows indicate an exemplary sequence in which sample 722, reagent 724, and droplets 726 may move between structural components of the system. The vertical dashed arrows above and below various system components indicate optional addition (e.g., inflow) and/or removal (e.g., outflow) of an immiscible carrier fluid (e.g., oil) and/or waste with respect to these components.
System 720 may include a mixer 728 and a droplet generator 730. Mixer 728 may receive a sample 722 and at least one reagent 724 and combine them to form an assay mixture. The mixer may be an automated device, or mixing may be performed manually by a user, such as by bulk mixing, before loading the assay mixture into the droplet generator. Droplet generator 730 may receive the assay mixture from the mixer and generate an emulsion 732 of droplets 726 in an immiscible carrier fluid 734, such as oil that is introduced into the droplet generator, indicated at 736, at the same time as the assay mixture. Formation of droplets 726 may be driven by pressure and/or pumping, indicated at 738. In some examples, the droplet generator may function as the mixer by generating droplets from confluent streams of sample and reagent. Waste fluid also may exit the droplet generator, indicated at 740.
System 720 may have any suitable number of droplet generators. The droplet generators may be used to generate any suitable number of separate, distinct emulsions from one sample or a plurality of samples, and from one reagent or a plurality of reagents (e.g., reagents for different species of nucleic acid target). Exemplary mixers and droplet generators are described in Sections III and IV.
Emulsion 732 or a set of distinct emulsions may be stored in at least one storage site 742 or in a plurality of such sites before droplets of the emulsion(s) are reacted. As a result, droplet generation may be decoupled from reaction of the droplets. The storage site may, for example, be a well, a chamber, a tube, or an array thereof, such as formed by a plate (e.g., a microplate).
System also may include a serial arrangement of a droplet transport portion 744, (also termed a droplet transporter) and a thermal cycler 746. Transport portion 744 may include a droplet pick-up or intake region 748 that forms an inlet at which droplets 726 are transferred from storage site 742 into the transport portion. Transport portion 744 also may include a droplet loader 750 that sends droplets to thermal cycler 746. The transport portion also may include one or more storage sites 752 for storing droplets after they have been transferred into transport portion 744.
In some examples, the transport portion also may be capable of loading droplets more directly to the detector, without sending them first to the thermal cycler. In particular, system 720 may include a bypass channel 753 or bypass pathway that connects transport portion 744 to the detector without travel through the thermal cycler. The system may include one or more valves that can be operated to send droplets either to bypass channel 753 or to thermal cycler 746. The use of bypass channel 753 may, for example, permit more rapid calibration of system components, because calibration droplets can travel to the detector faster if thermal cycling is omitted. Section VIII describes further aspects of the use of a bypass channel and calibration droplets.
Carrier fluid and/or waste fluid optionally may be removed from storage site 742, droplet pick-up region 748, and/or droplet loader 750, indicated respectively at 754-758. Alternatively, or in addition, carrier fluid may be added to the droplet pick-up region, indicated at 759, and/or the droplet loader, indicated at 760, such as to facilitate driving droplets into thermal cycler 746 and/or to flush droplets from the pick-up region and/or droplet loader.
An emulsion including droplets 726 may flow through (a) thermal cycler 746, (b) at least one detection site (e.g., a detection channel/chamber) adjacent at least one detection window 762 that is operatively disposed with respect to detector 764, and (c) through an oil recovery region 766 and then to a waste receptacle. One or more valves 770 may be disposed generally between the thermal cycler and the detector, to provide control of emulsion flow downstream of the thermal cycler, with respect to the at least one detection channel/chamber. For example, valves 770 may be operated to stop flow of droplets adjacent to the detection window and/or to switch flow of the emulsion between two or more detection windows (e.g., see Section VI). Carrier fluid may be removed from the emulsion and/or introduced into the emulsion in or near thermal cycler 746 and/or detector 764, indicated respectively at 772, 774. Removal of carrier fluid may, for example, provide a more concentrated emulsion for detection. Introduction of carrier fluid may, for example, provide flow-focusing of droplets within a detection channel and/or with respect to the detection window (e.g., see Section VI). Alternatively, or in addition, droplets may be sent to a waste receptacle, indicated at 775, for collection from the thermal cycler, without traveling through a detection station.
Carrier fluid also may be removed from the flow stream by oil recovery region 766, indicated at 776. Removal may be effected by any suitable mechanism, such as pillars, at least one membrane, one or more oil-selective side channels, gravity separation, or the like.
E. Overview of Droplet Manipulation
FIGS. 8-10 provide an overview of droplet manipulation, including methods and apparatus, emphasizing droplet transport and exemplary types of droplet manipulation that may be performed in connection therewith (e.g., storage, concentration, selection, etc.).
FIG. 8 shows a flowchart 810 listing exemplary steps that may be performed in an exemplary method of sample analysis using droplet-based assays in which droplets are transported from a droplet generator and/or a droplet reservoir to a reaction site. The steps listed may be performed in any suitable combination and in any suitable order and may be combined with any other suitable step(s) of the present disclosure.
Droplets may be generated, indicated at 812. The droplets may be generated serially, in parallel, or in bulk. Further aspects of droplet generation are disclosed elsewhere herein, such as in Sections III and VI, among others.
The droplets, optionally, may be stored, indicated at 814. A set of droplets (e.g., an emulsion) may be stored in a droplet reservoir. In some examples, two or more distinct sets of droplets may be stored in two or more respective reservoirs, such as in an array of emulsions. In some examples, storage of the droplets may be omitted.
The droplets, optionally, may be concentrated, indicated at 816. Concentrating droplets (also termed concentrating an emulsion) results in an increase in the number of droplets per unit volume of emulsion and increases the volume fraction occupied by the droplets in an emulsion. Concentration of an emulsion may be conducted before, during, and/or after droplet storage.
One or more of the droplets (including one or more packets of droplets) may be transported to a reaction site, indicated at 818. Transport may be achieved by continuous flow, or by flow initiated selectably in one or more discrete stages, after droplet generation and/or initial droplet storage. The droplets may be reacted at the reaction site, indicated at 820.
Signals may be detected from droplets of the packet, indicated at 822. For example, one or more measurements may be performed on one or a plurality of the droplets during and/or after reaction of the droplets. Further aspects of droplet detection are disclosed elsewhere herein, such as in Section VI, among others.
FIG. 9 shows a flowchart 830 listing exemplary steps that may be included in a step of transporting droplets (i.e., step 818) in the method of FIG. 8.
A droplet reservoir (also termed an emulsion reservoir) may be selected, indicated at 832. The droplet reservoir may be selected from an array of droplet reservoirs holding distinct emulsions and/or distinct assay mixtures. Selection may be performed by a controller, by a user, or a combination thereof.
Droplets from the selected reservoir may be transferred to a droplet transporter, indicated at 834. The transferred droplets may be referred to as a packet. In some examples, a plurality of reservoirs may be selected and a plurality of droplet packets from respective selected reservoirs may be transferred serially (or in parallel) to the droplet transporter.
The packet(s) of droplets, optionally, may be held (i.e., stored) by the droplet transporter, indicated at 836. Droplets may be stored by the droplet transporter by stopping flow of the droplets, such as by isolating the droplets from a flow stream traveling to the reaction site. Accordingly, the droplets may be held in static (non-flowing) fluid (i.e., without substantial net flow of the continuous phase).
The packet of droplets, or at least a portion thereof, may be loaded into a reaction site (e.g., a thermal cycler), indicated at 838, which may be described as the droplets being sent or introduced into the reaction site. Packets of droplets may be loaded serially. Alternatively, packets of droplets may be loaded in parallel, such as loaded into distinct thermal cyclers or into separate flow paths through the same thermal cycler. In some examples, the step of holding droplets may be omitted, such that transfer of a packet of droplets from the reservoir and loading the packet into a reaction site occur by continuous flow.
FIG. 10 shows selected portions of an exemplary system 850 capable of performing the method of FIG. 8. The arrows indicate an exemplary sequence in which droplets may move between structural components of the system. However, each of the structural components may be optional, may be used more than once with the same packet of droplets, and/or may be utilized in a different sequence than shown here.
System 850 may incorporate at least one droplet generator 852, at least one droplet reservoir 854, at least one droplet transporter 856, at least one reaction site 858 (also termed a reaction region or droplet processing assembly), and at least one detector 860. All or any subset of these structural components may be connected to one another, with any suitable relative spatial relationships, to form an instrument or an instrument-cartridge assembly (e.g., see FIGS. 2-4). In some examples, one or more of the system components may be utilized remotely, such as a droplet generator that forms droplets (and/or a droplet reservoir that stores droplets) while the droplet generator is not connected to the transporter, reaction site, and/or detector. System 850 also may be equipped with at least one controller 862, which may be in communication with and/or may be programmed to control any suitable combination of system components, as indicated by dashed lines extending from the controller to each other system component.
Droplets formed by droplet generator 852 may be transported by droplet transporter 856, after droplet formation, to reaction site 858, to promote one or more reactions, and to detector 860, to provide detection of droplet signals. Before and/or during their transport, the droplets may be received by at least one droplet reservoir 854 or serially (or in parallel) by two or more droplet reservoirs, and then stored in the droplet reservoir(s) for an adjustable (and selectable) period of time. Droplet storage is an optional part of the system and thus the droplet reservoir may be omitted.
Any suitable droplet generator(s) 852 and detector(s) 860 may be incorporated into the system, such as any of the droplet generators and/or detectors disclosed herein (e.g., see Sections III, IV, and VI).
A “droplet reservoir,” also termed a “storage site” or “emulsion reservoir,” is any compartment where droplets can be stored, generally in a static volume of fluid, and then accessed at a selectable time. The droplet reservoir may be a well, a chamber, or the like. Exemplary droplet reservoirs may be provided as an array of isolated or isolatable storage sites, such as an array of wells or chambers, among others. The array of storage sites may be provided by a plate.
Droplet transporter 856 may be composed of one or more structures and/or one or more devices that provide selectable transport of droplets from at least one droplet generator and/or at least one droplet reservoir to a reaction site. Selectable transport may permit selection of the different droplet packets sent to a reaction site, the order in which the droplet packets are sent, the time at which each droplet packet is sent, etc. Different droplet packets may have different sample-reagent combinations, different droplets sizes, different sample and/or reagent dilutions, etc. In any event, the selection may be performed by a controller, a user, or a combination thereof. For example, the selection may be based on an order selected by a user and/or programmed into the controller, an arbitrary order selected by the controller, or a dynamic order determined in real time by the controller based on one or more assay results obtained by the system, or a combination thereof, among others.
F. Exemplary Droplet Transporter
FIG. 11 shows selected aspects of an example 868 of droplet transporter 856 (FIG. 10). Transporter 868 may incorporate any combination of at least one intake conduit 870, at least one outflow conduit 872, at least one storage site 874, 876, one or more pumps 878 and/or pressure sources/sinks, and/or one or more valves 880 (e.g., 2-way, 3-way, 4-way, and/or multi-position valves and/or injection loops), among others. The transporter also may include one or more unions, tees, crosses, debubblers, or any combination thereof, among others.
Intake conduit 870 may be configured to receive droplets 881 by picking up and/or taking in droplets from a droplet reservoir 882 (or continuously from a droplet generator). Thus, the intake conduit may abut and/or extend into the droplet reservoir, to provide contact with an emulsion 884 containing the droplets, such that fluid can flow from the emulsion into the intake conduit. The intake conduit may be described as a needle, a tip, a tube, or a combination thereof, among others, and may be sized in cross-section to receive droplets in single file or multiple file (side-by-side).
Outflow conduit 872 may be joined directly to the intake conduit or may be separated from the intake conduit by one or more valves 880, storage sites 874, 876, or the like. For example, in FIG. 11, the intake and outflow conduits are separated by three valves 880 and two storage sites (874, 876).
Each pump 878 (and/or positive/negative pressure source/sink) may drive fluid flow through the intake conduit and/or the outflow conduit, and/or to and/or from the holding site(s). The pump also may drive fluid through a reaction site 885, or a distinct pump may be used for this purpose. In some examples, droplet transporter 868 may include at least one pump (or pressure source/sink) to transfer droplets into the transporter and at least one other pump (or pressure sources/sink) to drive droplets out of the transporter for droplet loading into reaction site 885.
Each storage site 874, 876 may be connected to intake conduit 870 and outflow conduit 872, to permit fluid flow between these structures. For example, valves 880 may provide selectable and adjustable fluid communication between intake conduit 870, outflow conduit 872, and the storage sites. The valves also may permit fluid to be sent, indicated at 886, from either storage site 874, 876 to a waste port.
Droplet transporter 868 may include any other suitable elements. For example, the transporter further may be equipped with a drive assembly 887 that drives relative movement of intake conduit 870 with respect to droplet reservoir 882, in one, two, or three dimensions. For example, an array 888 of droplet reservoirs (e.g., a plate with wells) may be connected to and/or supported by a stage or other support member 890 that is driven in x-, y-, and z-directions, to permit selectable placement of the intake conduit into each of the reservoirs of the array/plate, in any order. In other examples, the droplet reservoirs may remain stationary while the intake conduit is driven into contact with the contents of selected reservoirs. Droplet transporter 868 also or alternatively may incorporate at least one heater 892, which may be positioned to apply heat to any suitable portion (or all) of the droplet transporter, such as droplet reservoirs 882, intake conduit 870, one or more storage sites 874, 876, outflow conduit 872, or any combination thereof, among others. Application of heat may pre-process the droplets, prior to loading the droplets into the reaction site, such as to promote an enzyme reaction (e.g., reverse transcription), to activate a reagent (e.g., an enzyme such as in a hot start prior to an amplification reaction; see Section V), or the like.
The droplet transporter (and/or any other portion of system 850) further may include at least one packing feature 894 to increase the concentration of droplets. The packing feature may increase the volume fraction of an emulsion occupied by droplets, which may, for example, be desirable to decrease the amount of energy spent on heating carrier fluid, to increase the rate at which droplets may be detected by a flow-based (serial) detector, and/or to increase the number of droplets that may be detected simultaneously by an imaging detector, among others. A suitable concentration of droplets (i.e., the “packing density”) may be achieved during droplet generation or the packing density may be increased after droplet generation. An increase in packing density may be achieved by removing carrier fluid from an emulsion, while the emulsion is static (e.g., during storage) or flowing, and/or by selective intake of droplets from a stored emulsion, among others. Droplets may be concentrated locally in a stored emulsion by (1) centrifugation, (2) gravity coupled with a density difference between the droplets and the carrier fluid (i.e., the droplets float or sink in the carrier fluid), (3) electrokinetic concentration of droplets, (4) magnetic concentration of droplets, or the like. The packing density may be increased during flow by using one or more side vent lines of smaller diameter (or one or more membranes) that selectively permit lateral flow (and removal) of carrier fluid. Alternatively, or in addition, the packing density may be increased during fluid flow by utilizing droplet inertia.
G. Exemplary System with Coupled Droplet Generation and Transport
FIG. 12 shows a continuous flow example 910 of system 850 (see FIG. 10) in which droplet generation and droplet transport to a reaction site are coupled by continuous flow such that droplets are not stored. System 910 may comprise a serial arrangement of a droplet generator 912, a droplet transport region 914, a thermal cycler 916, a detector 918, and a waste/collection reservoir 920. Droplet generator 912 may be supplied by a carrier fluid, such as oil 922, and a non-partitioned assay mixture 924 of sample and reagent. The oil and the assay mixture each may be driven to droplet generator 912 by a respective pump or pressure source 926, 928. Here, the droplet generator is structured as a cross, but any other configuration may be suitable (e.g., see Sections III and IV). Droplets 930 formed by the droplet generator may flow continuously through droplet transport region 914 to thermal cycler 916, due to continuous fluid flow driven by pumps 926, 928. In other examples, one or more additional pumps or pressure sources/sinks may be used to drive flow through the thermal cycler.
H. Exemplary Systems with Decoupling of Droplet Generation and Transport
FIGS. 13 and 14 show exemplary systems with decoupling of droplet generation and transport.
FIG. 13 shows an example 940 of system 850 in which droplet generation and droplet transport to a reaction site are decoupled. System 940 may include a droplet reservoir 942 holding an emulsion 944 of preformed droplets 946 in a carrier fluid 948. Droplets 946 may be formed off-line from downstream portions of system 940. The droplets, when formed by at least one droplet generator, may flow continuously into droplet reservoir 942. Alternatively, the droplets may be transferred into the droplet reservoir with a fluid transfer device (e.g., a pipette or syringe) from another storage site at a selectable time after droplet generation. In any event, droplet reservoir 942 may be placed into connection with downstream components of system 940 after (or before) droplet formation, permitting droplets 946 to be stored for an adjustable, selectable period of time after (and, optionally, before) the droplet reservoir becomes connected to the downstream system components.
System 940 may incorporate a serial arrangement of a droplet transport region 950, a thermal cycler 952, a detector 954, and at least one pressure source/sink, such as a downstream pressure sink (e.g., syringe pump 956), an upstream pressure source 958, or both. Droplet transport region 950 may include an intake conduit 960 that extends into droplet reservoir 942 and into contact and fluid communication with emulsion 944. Droplets 946 may be drawn into the intake conduit as a result of a negative pressure exerted by a downstream vacuum source (or pressure sink) 956 (e.g., a syringe pump), and/or a positive pressure exerted on emulsion 944 by an upstream pressure source 960 (e.g., another pump), among others. As shown here, the droplets may be dispersed non-uniformly in the emulsion, for example, concentrated selectively toward the top or the bottom of the emulsion by gravity, centrifugation, magnetic attraction, electrokinetic motion, and/or the like, to permit removal of droplets at a higher packing density than the average packing density in the emulsion. Alternatively, or in addition, the carrier fluid may be removed selectively (e.g., removed and discarded) where the droplet packing density is lower than average. In any event, droplets 946 may be driven by continuous flow from the emulsion, through transport region 950 and thermal cycler 952, past detector 954, and into a reservoir 962 provided by syringe pump 956.
FIG. 14 shows an example 970 of system 850 that is generally related to system 940 of FIG. 13, with selected components replicated such that system 970 is capable of transporting, reacting, and/or detecting a plurality of droplet packets in parallel. System 970 may include a serial arrangement of an emulsion array 972, a droplet transporter 974, a thermal cycler 976, one or more detectors 978, and one or more pumps or pressure sources/sinks, such as a syringe pump 980.
Emulsion array 972 may include emulsions 982 held in an array of droplet reservoirs 984 formed by a plate 986. The emulsions may be formed separately from the plate and then transferred to the plate. Alternatively, the plate may be a droplet generator plate incorporating an array of droplet generators 988, which form the emulsions contained in droplet reservoirs 984. Further aspects of droplet generator plates are disclosed below in this Section and in Sections III and IV.
Droplet transporter 974 may include a line of intake conduits or needles 990 for intake of droplets in parallel from a row of droplet reservoirs 984 of plate 986. The tips of intake conduits 990 may be spaced to match the spacing of droplet reservoirs 984 in each row of the plate. Droplet transporter 974 also may include a drive assembly 992 that drives relative movement of plate 986 and intake conduits 990 in at least two dimensions or in three dimensions. In particular, operation of the drive assembly may place the intake conduits serially into fluid communication with each row of emulsions, in a predefined or selectable order. In other examples, the droplet transporter may include a three-dimensional array of intake conduits, which may be arranged in correspondence with the rows and columns of droplet reservoirs formed by plate 986, to permit parallel uptake of droplets from two or more rows of droplet reservoirs (e.g., all of the droplet reservoirs in parallel). With any arrangement of intake conduits, each intake conduit may be connected to a respective valve. Operation of the valve may determine whether an intake conduit is active or inactive for droplet intake. Alternatively, the intake conduits may be connected to the same multi-position valve, which may be operated to select only one of the intake conduits for droplet intake at a time, to provide serial intake of droplets from droplet reservoirs.
Droplet intake may be driven by one or more pumps. For example, a negative pressure applied by syringe pump 980 may draw droplets into intake conduits 990. Alternatively, or in addition, a positive pressure applied by a positive pressure source, such as a pump 994 of droplet transporter 974, may push droplets into the intake conduits, in a manner analogous to that described for system 940 of FIG. 13. In particular, pump 994 may be connected to droplet transporter 974 via a manifold 996. Each intake conduit may extend through the manifold in a sealed relationship with the manifold. The manifold may be movable into a sealed relationship with each row of droplet reservoirs, by operation of drive assembly 992, to form a sealed chamber 998 over each row serially. Accordingly, pump 994 may pressurize the chamber to urge droplets from the reservoirs of a row in parallel into the intake conduits.
Thermal cycler 976 may include a plurality of reaction channels provided by coiled tubes 1000-1014 each forming a separate, respective connection with a different intake conduit 990. The coiled tubes may follow a generally helical path interspersed with one another. For example, the tubes may be braided together and/or wrapped collectively. In any event, droplet transporter 974 may load packets of droplets into the coiled tubes in parallel, and the packets may be thermally cycled in parallel, while following separate flow paths. Droplets from each coiled tube also may be detected in parallel, indicated at 1016, by detector 978. In other examples, each intake conduit 990 may be connected to a respective, distinct thermal cycler, or intake conduits 990 may feed droplets into the same coiled tube or other reaction channel.
I. Exemplary Decoupled System Utilizing an Autosampler
FIGS. 15 and 16 show an exemplary system combining decoupling of droplet generation and transport with autosampling.
FIG. 15 shows another example 1030 of system 850 of FIG. 10 in which droplet generation and droplet transport to a reaction site are decoupled. System 1030 may incorporate a serial arrangement of a reservoir array 1032, a droplet transporter 1034 comprising an autosampler 1036, a reaction site 1038 (e.g., a thermal cycler 1040), a detector 1042, and a waste/collection reservoir 1044. Droplets may travel from array 1032 to reaction site 1038 through the action of autosampler 1036, may be detected by detector 1042 during/after reaction, and then may be collected after detection by reservoir 1044.
Reservoir array 1032 may be structured as a plate 1046 providing an array of droplet reservoirs, such as wells 1048, each containing droplets 1050. Accordingly, plate 1046 may be structured as a droplet generator plate having any combination of the features described elsewhere herein. Alternatively, plate 1046 may hold droplets that were generated separately from the plate and then transferred to the wells of the plate.
Autosampler 1036 generally includes any device or assembly of devices that provides serial intake of fluid into a conduit (e.g., an intake conduit) from an array of reservoirs. The autosampler generally is capable of picking up droplets from any reservoir or sequence of reservoirs of the array and may be controllable to intake a variable volume of fluid from each reservoir. The autosampler may include a needle 1052 that serves as an intake conduit, one or more pumps or pressure sources/sinks 1054, one or more valves 1056, or any combination thereof, among others. The autosampler may include a drive assembly 1058 that controllably drives motion of needle 1052 in three dimensions, such as along three orthogonal axes. For example, the drive assembly may permit the needle to be positioned in an x-y plane over any selected reservoir 1048, and then to be moved along a z-axis, to move the needle into contact with fluid in the selected reservoir, for droplet intake, and then out of contact with the fluid, for movement to another reservoir (or for intake of air). In other examples, the drive assembly may drive movement of the array of reservoirs while the needle remains stationary. In other examples, there may be a z-axis drive assembly to drive z-axis motion of the needle, and an x-y axis drive assembly to drive x-y motion of the array of reservoirs, or vice versa.
FIG. 16 shows selected portions of system 1030 of FIG. 15, with needle 1052 of autosampler 1036 picking up droplet packets 1060-1064 from a corresponding respective series of wells 1066-1070 of plate 1046. Adjacent droplet packets may be separated from one another in autosampler 1036 by any suitable spacer region 1072. The spacer region may contain one or more segments 1074 of one or more spacer fluids. For example, a spacer liquid 1076 may be disposed in a well 1078 of the array or in another accessible reservoir. Needle 1052 may move to well 1078, to take in spacer liquid 1076, after each droplet packet is picked up. Alternatively, or in addition, needle 1052 may take in a volume of a spacer gas, such as air 1080, between packets, while the needle is out of contact with liquid. The use of a spacer gas is optional. The spacer fluid may contain the same immiscible carrier fluid as the droplet packets or a different immiscible carrier fluid. In some embodiments, the spacer fluid may be labeled, such as with a dye, to make it distinguishable from the carrier fluid of a droplet packet and/or to mark a boundary (i.e., a leading or trailing end) of a droplet packet. Alternatively, or in addition, the spacer fluid and/or spacer region may be distinguishable from a droplet packet by a decrease in concentration (i.e., an at least substantial absence) of droplets between droplet packets.
J. Exemplary Systems with Multi-Stage Decoupling
FIGS. 17 and 18 show exemplary systems combining multi-stage decoupling of droplet generation from droplet loading into a reaction site, and also show transport with autosampling.
FIG. 17 shows an example 1090 of system 850 of FIG. 10 that enables multi-stage decoupling of droplet generation and droplet loading into a reaction site. More particularly, system 1090 provides storage of a packet of droplets first within an array of emulsions and then in a distinct storage site, after intake and prior to loading the packet into a downstream reaction site. System 1090 may comprise an emulsion array 1092 coupled to a drive assembly 1093. The emulsion array may be held by a plate 1094 (e.g., a microplate or droplet generator plate). System 1090 also may comprise a droplet transporter 1096 that provides selectable intake, holding, heating, and loading.
Droplet transporter 1096 may incorporate an autosampler 1098, at least one storage site 1100, and an outflow region 1102. Autosampler 1098 may transfer droplet packets 1104-1108 into transporter 1096 from selected wells of plate 1094, generally as described with respect to FIGS. 15 and 16.
One or more valves 1110, 1112, in cooperation with one or more pumps 1114, may be operated to determine the flow path and residency time of each packet. For example, valve 1110 may be operated to permit the droplet packets to flow continuously to a downstream reaction site after each packet is transferred into transporter 1096. Alternatively, or in addition, valve 1110 may be operated to transfer a droplet packet (or multiple packets, see FIG. 16) along an inflow path, indicated by an arrow at 1116, to storage site 1100 (e.g., a holding channel or holding chamber). Pump 1114 may be utilized to drive fluid movement into the storage site.
Droplet packet 1106 may occupy storage site 1100 for any suitable period of time. In some examples, packet 1106 may be heated by a heater 1118 while the packet is disposed in the storage site. Alternatively, or in addition, packet 1106 may be heated upstream of holding site 1100, such as while the packet is contained by plate 1094, during flow to the holding site, and/or while disposed in outflow region 1102, among others. In any event, droplet packet 1106 may be permitted to leave the holding site by operation of valve 1110, to open an outflow path, indicated at 1120, to outflow region 1102. Also, pump 1114 may drive flow of droplet packet 1106 with the aid of a carrier fluid 1122 obtained from a connected reservoir 1124. The carrier fluid also may function to flush droplets from the holding site, to permit re-use of the site with a different packet of droplets without substantial cross-contamination. In any event, pump 1114 may drive packet 1106 through outflow region 1102, and then another pump 1126 may drive the packet to a downstream reaction site with the aid of a carrier fluid 1128 obtained from a connected reservoir 1130. The use of downstream pump 1126 permits valve 1110 to be re-positioned, to close outflow path 1120 and open inflow path 1116, such that pump 1114 can drive another packet (e.g., packet 1104) into holding site 1100.
FIG. 18 shows another example 1140 of system 850 (see FIG. 10) that enables multi-stage decoupling of droplet generation and droplet loading into a reaction site. System 1140 is related generally to system 1090 of FIG. 17 but includes a plurality of isolatable storage sites 1142-1154 that can be accessed in a selectable sequence, to provide loading of droplet packets from the storage sites into a reaction site according to the sequence. System 1140 may comprise a serial arrangement of an emulsion array 1156 coupled to a drive assembly 1157. The emulsion array may be held by a plate 1158 (e.g., a droplet generator plate). System 1140 also may comprise a droplet transporter 1160. The transporter may enable selectable intake of droplet packets from plate 1158, holding of each packet for an adjustable period of time, and selectable loading of the packets into a reaction site.
Transporter 1160 may be equipped with an autosampler 1162, a temporary holding station 1164, at least one pump 1166, and one or more valves 1168-1172, among others. Pump 1166 may drive intake of droplets into an intake conduit 1174 of autosampler 1162. The droplets may represent one packet or a plurality of spaced packets. In any event, pump 1166 may drive flow of the packet into holding station 1164. Multi-position valve 1170 then may be operated to open a flow path from holding station 1164 to one of storage sites 1142-1154, and pump 1166 may drive the packet from the station to the storage site. This process may be repeated one or more times to place other packets into other storage sites 1142-1154. A heater 1176 may apply heat to droplet packets disposed in the storage sites.
Droplet packets in the storage sites may be loaded serially into a downstream reaction site in a selectable order. In particularly, valve 1170 may be positioned to open a flow path between a selected storage site and station 1164. Pump 1166 then may drive a droplet packet(s) from the selected storage site into station 1164. Valve 1170 next may be re-positioned to open a flow path from station 1164 to an outflow conduit 1178. Then, pump 1166 may drive the droplet packet from station 1164 to outflow conduit 1178, with the aid of a carrier fluid 1180 traveling behind the packet. Pump 1166 may drive the packet from outflow conduit 1178 to a downstream reaction site, or another pump may be utilized (e.g., see FIG. 17). In some examples, the droplet packet(s) in a storage site may be driven to a waste reservoir 1182, instead of being transferred to station 1164.
K. Overview of Amplification in Static Fluid
FIGS. 19-21 relate to exemplary systems for sample analysis using droplet-based assays in which amplification is performed with stationary emulsions and/or by batch amplification of an array of emulsions.
FIG. 19 shows a flowchart 1190 listing exemplary steps that may be performed in a method of sample analysis using droplets subjected to conditions for amplification while disposed in a static fluid. The steps listed may be performed in any suitable order and in any suitable combination and may be combined with any other steps disclosed elsewhere herein.
A sample and at least one reagent may be mixed to create an assay mixture for amplification, indicated at 1192. The sample and reagent may be combined manually or automatically. In some embodiments, one or more samples and one or more reagents may be mixed to create a plurality of distinct and separate assay mixtures.
At least one emulsion may be generated from at least one assay mixture, indicated at 1194. The emulsion may be generated by serial, parallel, or bulk droplet generation (e.g., see Sections III and IV). If more than one emulsion is generated, the emulsions may be generated in parallel or serially with respect to one another.
The at least one emulsion may be thermally cycled while the emulsion remains stationary, indicated at 1196. In particular, the emulsion may be disposed in a container that restricts directional flow of the emulsion as it is thermally cycled.
Signals may be detected from droplets of the emulsion, indicated at 1198. The signals may be detected while the emulsion is flowing or not flowing (e.g., see Section VI), and may involve serial droplet detection or imaging, among others.
FIG. 20 shows a flowchart 1200 listing exemplary steps that may be performed in a method of sample analysis using parallel amplification of an array of emulsions. The steps listed may be performed in any suitable order and in any suitable combination and may be combined with any other steps disclosed elsewhere herein.
A plurality of assay mixtures may be created, indicated at 1202. Each assay mixture may be an amplification mixture capable of amplifying at least one species (or two or more species) of nucleic acid target, if present, in the amplification mixture. The assay mixtures may contain respective distinct samples, distinct reagents (e.g., to amplify different species of nucleic acid target), or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the assay mixtures may be created or disposed in an array, such as a planar array formed by a plate.
Emulsions may be generated from the respective assay mixtures, indicated at 1204. The emulsions may be generated serially or in parallel with respect to one another, and droplets of each emulsion may be generated serially, in parallel, or in bulk.
The emulsions may be thermally cycled in an array, indicated at 1206. The array may be a linear array, a planar (two-dimensional) array, or a three-dimensional array.
Droplets signals may be detected from one or more droplets of each emulsion, indicated at 1208. Detection may be performed while the emulsions remain disposed in the array and in a device holding the emulsions in the array (e.g., a plate). Alternatively, detection may be performed after removal of droplets from the array. More particularly, detection may be performed after transfer of the droplets from a container/vessel (e.g., a plate, well, or a vial) that holds the droplets. For example, the droplets may be transferred out of the container/vessel to a detection site (e.g., a detection channel, chamber, recess) adjacent a detection window. Transfer may be achieved with any suitable manual or automated fluid transfer device. Furthermore, detection may be flow-based detection (e.g., serial droplet detection) or static/stopped-flow detection (e.g., imaging), among others.
FIG. 21 shows a schematic view of selected portions of an exemplary system 1210 for performing the method of FIG. 20. Any one component or combination of the depicted system components may be omitted from the system, and any additional structural components disclosed elsewhere herein may be added to the system. The arrows indicate an exemplary sequence in which sample and emulsions may move between structural components of the system. However, the structural components may be utilized in a different sequence than shown here.
System 1210 may include a droplet generator array 1212, an emulsion holder 1214, a batch thermal cycler 1216, and a detector 1218. Droplet generator array 1212 may include a set of droplet generators connected to one another in a linear, planar, or three-dimensional array. Alternatively, system 1210 may employ a plurality of droplet generators that are not held in an array. In any event, a plurality of emulsions may be generated by the droplet generators and disposed in at least one emulsion holder (e.g., a plurality of vials, or a plate with an array of wells or chambers, among others). The emulsions may flow continuously from their respective droplet generators to the emulsion holder(s), which may be connected to the droplet generators. Alternatively, the emulsions may be transferred to the holder(s), such as with a manual or automated fluid transfer device, at a selectable time. In any event, the emulsion holder(s) and the emulsions held therein may be thermally cycled by batch thermal cycler 1216 with the emulsions held in an array. Each site of the array may be defined by the emulsion holder, by a receiver structure of the thermal cycler, or both, among others. After thermal cycling, detector 1218 may be used to perform flow-based or static/stopped-flow detection of droplets. In some examples, the detector may image droplets of the emulsions while the emulsions are still disposed in the emulsion holder, and optionally, while the emulsion holder is operatively coupled to the thermal cycler.
L. Exemplary Droplet Generator Arrays for a Batch Amplification System
FIGS. 22-32 relate to exemplary devices for generating an array of emulsions, which may (or may not) be reacted in parallel, such as batch-amplified.
FIGS. 22 and 23 show an exemplary device 1220 equipped with an array of droplet generators. Device 1220 may be structured as a plate incorporating an array of droplet generators 1222. Each droplet generator may have any suitable droplet generator structure, such as any of the structures described in Sections III and IV. Each droplet generator may include a plurality of reservoirs, such as wells 1224, 1226, 1228 that can be accessed (e.g., fluid loaded and/or removed) from above the plate. The reservoirs may be termed ports and may be connected fluidly by channels 1230 formed near the bottom of the reservoirs. An intersection of the channels may form a site or intersection 1232 of droplet generation where droplets are formed by any suitable mechanism, such as flow-focusing.
FIG. 24 shows a schematic view of one of droplet generators 1222, which has a four-port configuration. To form droplets from the generator, one or more oil wells 1224 may be loaded with a carrier fluid (e.g., oil). Also, a sample well 1226 may be loaded with a sample (e.g., an assay mixture, such as a PCR mixture including sample and reagent to perform a reaction, such as amplification). Pressure may be applied, indicated by vertical arrows at 1234, to oil wells 1224 and sample well 1226, to drive fluid flow, droplet generation, and flow of the resulting droplets as an emulsion 1236 to emulsion well 1228. Fluid flow is indicated by arrows extending parallel to channels 1230. In other examples, each droplet generator may include only one oil well and one sample well, to provide a three-port configuration (see below) or one or more oil reservoirs may be shared by droplet generators of the plate.
FIG. 25 shows a sectional view of plate 1220 assembled with an exemplary pressure manifold 1238 for applying pressure to droplet generators 1222 (see FIGS. 22-24), to drive droplet generation (and emulsion formation). In this view, the wells are shown without fluid to simplify the presentation. Also, the four wells visible in this view do not all belong to the same droplet generator, but for simplification, these wells are described as if they do.
Plate 1220 may include an upper member 1240 and a lower member 1242. Upper member 1240 may define wells 1224-1228, which may, for example, be created by ridges 1244 (e.g., annular ridges; also see FIG. 23) that project upward from a base portion of the upper member and that form laterally enclosing side walls of each well. The upper member also may define the top walls and side walls of channels 1230. These channels may provide communication for fluid movement from wells 1224, 1226 and to well 1228 of the droplet generator and may be formed in the bottom surface of the upper member (such as in the cross pattern depicted in FIG. 23). Lower member 1242, which may be termed a cover layer, may be disposed below upper member 1240 and attached to the upper member 1240 via the bottom surface of the upper member. The lower member may overlap at least a portion of the upper member's bottom surface, from below, to cover and seal openings, such as channels 1230, formed in the bottom surface of upper member 1240. Lower member 1242 thus may form a bottom wall of channels 1230, such that the channels are enclosed and fluid cannot escape from the bottom of the plate via the wells or the channels. In some embodiments, upper member 1240 may be formed of a polymer, such as by injection molding.
Pressure manifold 1238 may include a manifold body or routing member 1246 that is connected or connectable to one or more pressure sources 1248, 1250. Manifold body 1246 may mate with plate 1220 from above to form a seal with wells 1224-1228 of the droplet generators via sealing elements or gaskets 1252, such as elastomeric O-rings. The manifold body also may define channels 1254 that communicate with wells 1224-1228.
Any suitable combination of channels 1254 of the manifold body may be connected or connectable to one or more pressure sources, to permit parallel or serial droplet generation from all or a subset of the droplet generators. Accordingly, the pressure manifold may permit pressurization of only one of the droplet generators at a time, or parallel pressurization of two or more of the droplet generators, to drive parallel emulsion formation from two or more droplet generators of the plate in a batch process. For example, oil wells 1224 of a subset or all of the droplet generators may be pressurized with pressure source 1250, and sample wells 1226 may be pressurized with another pressure source 1248, to permit the pressures exerted on fluid in the oil wells and the sample wells to be adjusted independently. Thus, in some examples, the manifold may permit one pressure to be applied to the oil wells in parallel, and another pressure to be applied independently to the sample wells in parallel. Alternatively, the same pressure source may exert pressure on the oil wells and the sample wells. The manifold further may permit emulsion wells 1228 to be independently pressurized with respect to the other wells (e.g., to form a pressure sink to draw fluid into the emulsion wells), may permit the emulsion wells to be vented during emulsion generation, indicated at 1256, to form a pressure drop with respect to the pressurized oil and sample wells, or a combination thereof.
FIG. 26 shows plate 1220 with the pressure manifold replaced by an exemplary cover or sealing member 1258 after emulsion formation. (An emulsion is present in emulsion well 1228, and the oil and assay mixture fluids are substantially depleted from wells 1224 and 1226.) Cover 1258 may seal wells 1224-1228 to, for example, prevent fluid loss by evaporation. The cover may include a resilient member 1260 that engages ridges 1244 to cover and seal each well. In some examples, the resilient member may be complementary to at least a portion of the wells, such as to form caps and/or plugs for individual wells. In some examples, cover 1258 may cover and seal only emulsion wells 1228. In some examples, a plurality of covers may be used. In any event, after assembling plate 1220 with cover 1258, the plate may be subjected to thermal cycling to induce amplification in emulsion wells of the plate. For example, the plate and its cover may be disposed in a thermally cycled chamber. Alternatively, each emulsion may be transferred from plate 1220 to another container, such as a sealable tube (e.g., for use with a Cepheid SmartCycler) or a sealable well/chamber of a plate (e.g., a 96-well PCR plate), for thermal cycling. In other examples, sealing the emulsion in a container to reduce evaporation may not be required if the carrier fluid is capable of forming a sufficient liquid barrier to evaporation for the droplets.
Droplet signals from the emulsions may be detected during/after thermal cycling, either with or without transfer of the emulsions from emulsion wells 1228 to a detection site. In some examples, plate 1220 may permit imaging from beneath the plate. In some embodiments, emulsion wells 1228 may be sealed with a cover layer of optical quality (e.g., transparent), such as a tape or thin sheet, among others. The plate then may be inverted, and droplets imaged through the cover layer. In this case, the carrier fluid and assay mixture compositions may be selected such that the droplets sink in the emulsion, to form a monolayer on the cover layer. In some examples, the detector may be equipped with confocal optics to enable collection of image data from droplets that are not disposed in a monolayer.
Plate 1220 may have any suitable number of droplet generators 1222 (see FIGS. 22-24), disposed in any suitable number of rows and columns. In some embodiments, the droplet generators and/or wells thereof may correspond in spacing, number, and/or row/column arrangement to wells of a standard microplate. For example, the center-to-center distance, number, and/or arrangement of droplet generators (and/or wells) may correspond to a microplate with 6, 24, 96, 384, 1536, etc. wells, among others. Thus, the plate may have 6, 24, 96, 384, or 1536 droplet generators and/or wells (total wells or of a given type (e.g., emulsion wells), which may be spaced by about 18, 9, 4.5, 2.25, or 1.125 millimeters, among others. With an arrangement of ports corresponding to a standard microplate, instruments designed for parallel fluid transfer to/from standard microplates may be utilized with plate 1220.
FIG. 27 shows another exemplary device 1270 incorporating an array of droplet generators 1272. Device 1270 may be structured as a plate and may have any of the features described above for plate 1220 (see FIGS. 22-26).
Each droplet generator 1272 may include a plurality of ports, which may be structured as wells 1274-1278. In particular, droplet generator 1272 may have a three-port configuration of an oil well 1274 to receive a carrier fluid, a sample well 1276 to receive a sample (e.g., a prepared sample that is an assay mixture, such as an amplification mixture), and an emulsion well 1278 to receive an overflow portion of an emulsion generated by the droplet generator.
FIG. 28 shows a bottom view of droplet generator 1272, taken after generation of droplets 1280 to form an emulsion 1282. The droplet generator may include a network of channels 1284 that carry fluid from oil well 1274 and sample well 1276 to a site or intersection 1286 of droplet generation. A pair of channels 1284 may extend from oil well 1274 to site 1286 and another channel 1284 may extend from sample well to site 1286, to form a cross structure at which droplets are formed by flow focusing of fluid from the sample well by carrier fluid disposed on opposing sides of fluid stream from the sample well.
Droplets 1280 may flow from droplet generation site 1286 to emulsion well 1278 via an outlet channel 1288. The outlet channel may widen as it extends from site 1286 to form a chamber 1290. The chamber may have a high aspect ratio, with a height/thickness that generally corresponds to the diameter of the droplets, to promote formation of a monolayer 1292 of droplets in the chamber. Droplets also may flow past chamber 1290 to emulsion well 1278. However, emulsion well 1278 may function predominantly as an overflow site to collect excess emulsion. In other embodiments, emulsion well 1278 may be omitted. In any event, chamber 1290 may be connected to a vent 1294, which may be disposed generally downstream of the chamber, to permit escape of air as an emulsion flows into the chamber.
FIG. 29 shows a sectional view of droplet generator 1272 and illustrates how droplets may be generated and then imaged with an imager 1296 from below plate 1270. To generate droplets, oil well 1274 may be loaded with a carrier fluid 1298 and sample well 1276 with a sample (e.g., an assay mixture 1300). Pressure may be applied to the oil well and the sample well, indicated by pressure arrows at 1302, to drive droplet generation. For example, pressure may be applied using a pressure manifold, as described above for FIG. 25. In other examples, fluid flow and droplet generation may be driven by application of a vacuum to emulsion well 1278, or by spinning plate 1270 in a centrifuge to apply a centripetal force perpendicular to a plane defined by the plate, among others. In some examples, plate 1270 may be designed with an oil reservoir that supplies carrier fluid to two or more droplet generators 1272. In particular, channels may extend from the oil reservoir to two or more sites 1286 of droplet generation. In other examples, pistons received in the wells may be used to drive droplet generation (e.g., see Section III).
The droplets may be reacted in chamber 1290. For example, plate 1270 may be placed in a heating station, such as a thermal cycler, to induce amplification of one or more nucleic acid targets in the droplets. Before heating the plate, wells 1274-1278 may be sealed from above with at least one sealing member, as described above for FIG. 26, to reduce evaporation. Alternatively, the plate may be heated without sealing the wells because fluid in the chamber may be resistant to evaporation.
Plate 1270 may be designed to permit imaging droplets in the chamber. For example, the plate may include an upper member 1304 attached to a lower member 1306, as described above for plate 1220 (see FIGS. 25 and 26), with at least one of the members forming a viewing window or optical window 1308 through which the droplets may be imaged. Accordingly, the upper member and/or the lower member may be transparent, to permit imaging from above and/or below the plate. Plate 1270 may provide the capability to image droplets in place, without unsealing any ports after reaction of the droplets (e.g., opening ports by removing a plate cover). Plate 1270 may reduce the risk of release of amplicon formed in the plate during reaction, which could contaminate other subsequent reactions, because the amplicon can be held in the same substantially enclosed compartment (e.g., chamber 1290) during reaction and imaging. In some examples, the imaging device may be configured to collected image data from droplets as they are being reacted, for example, while they are being thermally cycled.
Chamber 1290 may have any suitable area. For example, the chamber may have a substantially larger footprint than a port, such as occupying at least about 2, 5, or 10 times the area of the port.
FIG. 30 shows yet another exemplary device 1310 incorporating an array of droplet generators 1312. Device 1310 may be structured as a plate, and each droplet generator 1312 may be structured and may operate generally as described above for droplet generators 1222 (see FIGS. 22-26). In particular, each droplet generator may include a pair of oil wells 1314, a sample well 1316, and an emulsion well 1318.
FIG. 31 shows a bottom view of a droplet generator 1312 of plate 1310 after droplet generation. The droplet generator may include a network of channels 1320 that permit flow of a carrier fluid and an assay mixture, respectively, from oil wells 1314 and sample well 1316 to a site 1322 of droplet generation. Droplets 1324 formed may flow into a chamber 1326 to form a substantial monolayer 1328 of droplets, as described above for chamber 1290 (see FIGS. 27-29).
FIG. 32 shows a sectional view of droplet generator 1312 and illustrates how droplets may be generated and then imaged from below (and/or above) the device. In particular, plate 1310 may form a viewing window above and/or below chamber 1326.
M. Exemplary Detection for a Batch Amplification System
FIGS. 33-40 show exemplary modes of detection for a batch amplification system.
FIG. 33 shows an exemplary imaging system 1360 for batch detection of an array of emulsions 1362 that are held by a plate 1364 in an array of wells 1366. The emulsions may be reacted (e.g., amplified by thermal cycling) in plate 1364 or may be transferred to the plate with a fluid transfer device after reaction, among others. Plate 1364 may be disposable (e.g., formed of plastic) or re-usable (e.g., formed of quartz), depending on the application.
Imaging system 1360 may include an imaging device or imager 1368 connected to a controller 1370, such as a computer. Any suitable aspects of imaging system 1360 may be used in other imaging systems of the present disclosure. Also, imaging system 1360 may incorporate any other feature(s) disclosed for other imaging systems of the present disclosure. Imager 1368 may (or may not) be a fluorescence imager. The imager may collect images of droplets disposed in wells 1366, for example, using a CCD camera or a line-scan CCD, among others. For a larger field of view, plate 1364 and/or the camera may be placed on, and/or may be otherwise connected to, a translation stage to drive motion in x-, y-, and, optionally, z-directions. In some examples, imager 1368 may, for example, include a laser/PMT device, as is used for detection of microarrays. Further aspects of imaging devices and methods that may be suitable are described in Section VI.
FIG. 34 shows a fragmentary view of plate 1364, with well 1366 holding an emulsion 1362 to be imaged. The well may include a bottom wall 1372, which may be flat, transparent, substantially non-fluorescent, or any combination thereof, to make the well suitable for imaging from below plate 1364. Well 1366 may have an inner surface that is hydrophobic, which may prevent aqueous droplets from wetting the well surface.
Well 1366 may contain a substantial monolayer 1374 of droplets 1376. The monolayer may be disposed adjacent bottom wall 1372. Monolayer 1374 may be obtained by selecting a suitable diameter of the well, number of droplets in the well, and size of each droplet. Also, monolayer formation may be promoted by selecting a carrier fluid composition that is less dense than the fluid phase of the droplets, such that the droplets sink to the bottom of the well. Monolayer formation also may be promoted by spinning plate 1364 in a centrifuge.
FIGS. 35 and 36 show an exemplary imaging system 1380 for detecting images of droplets held in one or more detection chambers, to provide parallel detection of droplets. System 1380 may include an imager 1382 and at least one imaging slide 1384 operatively disposed with respect to the imager, to permit image collection of droplets 1386 held by the slide.
Slide 1384 may define an imaging chamber 1388 and a viewing window 1390 adjacent the imaging chamber. The imaging chamber may have a high aspect ratio, with a length and width that are many times the height/thickness of the chamber. Accordingly, imaging chamber 1388 may be sized to form a monolayer of droplets 1386 adjacent viewing window 1390, which may be formed by a bottom wall 1392 of the slide (see FIG. 36). In some examples, the height of chamber 1388 may correspond to the diameter of the droplets, such as being about the same as the droplet diameter or no more than about twice the droplet diameter, among others. The droplets may be loaded into the imaging slide (as part of an emulsion 1394) after a reaction, such as amplification (e.g., thermal cycling), has been performed in the droplets. Alternatively, the emulsion may be loaded into chamber 1388 before reaction, the slide optionally sealed, and then the emulsion reacted (e.g., thermally cycled) and imaged in the same slide.
Imaging chamber 1388 may be connected to a pair of ports 1396, 1398, which may permit an emulsion to be introduced into and removed from the chamber (see FIG. 35). One or both of the ports may include a fitting 1400 that enables sealed engagement with a flow-based fluid transfer device 1402. The fluid transfer device, via either port, may introduce fluid (e.g., an emulsion or wash fluid) into the chamber and may remove and/or flush fluid from the chamber (e.g., to permit the slide to be re-used and/or the emulsion to be collected). Slide 1384 may be imaged in any suitable orientation, such as horizontally, as shown in FIGS. 35 and 36, vertically, or the like. Loading droplets into the imaging slide may be performed with any suitable fluid transfer device (e.g., a pipette, syringe, autosampler, etc.), which may be controlled (e.g., positioned and actuated for fluid inflow and outflow) manually or with a controller (e.g., a computer).
In other embodiments, droplet imaging may be performed with a slide that lacks a chamber. For example, a cover slip may be utilized with the slide to form a monolayer of droplets between the slide and the cover slip. In this case, the slide may, for example, be a standard microscope slide, a slide with a shallow well formed in one of its faces, a slide with projections that space the cover slip from a planar surface of the slide, or the like.
Imaging system 1380 may be configured to image two or more slides 1384 serially or in parallel. Accordingly, imager 1382 may have an imaging area sufficient to encompass the viewing windows of two or more slides at the same time. Alternatively, or in addition, imager 1382 may be operatively coupled to a slide exchanger that can position a set of slides serially in an imaging area of the imager, by adding each slide to the imaging area for imaging, and then removing the slide from the imaging area after imaging.
FIG. 37 shows an exploded view of an exemplary imaging system 1410 including an imager 1412 and a vial 1414 that holds droplets 1416 to be imaged by the imager. Vial 1414 may define an inlet region or mouth 1418 to receive the droplets from a fluid transfer device 1420, and an imaging chamber 1422 to hold the droplets while they are imaged. Air may be vented through the inlet region as an emulsion is loaded into the chamber or the vial may define a separate vent for this purpose. Chamber 1422 may (or may not) have a high aspect ratio to promote formation of a monolayer of droplets. Also, the vial may include at least one viewing window 1424, which may be formed by one or more walls of the vial, through which light may be transmitted. The vial may be disposable (e.g., formed of a polymer) or re-usable (e.g., formed of quartz). The vial may be spun in a centrifuge after loading and before imaging. Spinning may, for example, concentrate droplets in chamber 1422 and/or remove air bubbles from the detection chamber. Vial 1414 also may include a cap 1426 to seal the vial. Droplets may be reacted (e.g., amplified by thermal cycling) in the vial after loading and before imaging, or may be loaded after reaction. In other embodiments, the vial may have any other suitable shape that defines a chamber, such as a chamber including a planar surface, and forms a viewing window, such as a viewing window adjacent the planar surface.
FIG. 38 shows a schematic view of an exemplary system 1430 for stopped-flow imaging of reacted emulsions 1432 transported from an array. Emulsions 1432 may be held in an array by a plate 1434 and may be reacted in the array or may be transferred to the array after reaction. The emulsions (or at least a portion thereof) may be transported serially to at least one imaging chamber 1436 using an autosampler 1438 connected to an injection valve 1440. Exemplary imaging chambers that may be suitable are shown in FIGS. 35 and 36 of this Section and in Section VI. The injection valve may be used to control filling, holding, emptying, and, optionally, flushing the imaging chamber. An imager 1442 may be operatively disposed with respect to a viewing window 1444 adjacent the imaging chamber, to provide image collection of droplets disposed in the imaging chamber. After each emulsion is imaged, the emulsion may be removed from the imaging chamber by flow to a waste/collection reservoir 1446. Further aspects of autosamplers are described above in relation to FIGS. 15-18.
FIG. 39 shows a schematic view of another exemplary system 1450 for stopped-flow imaging of reacted emulsions transported from an array. System 1450 is related to system 1430 of FIG. 38 but includes a plurality of imaging chambers 1452. One or more inlet valves 1454 and/or outlet valves 1456 may be operated to determine an order in which the imaging chambers are filled with emulsions, isolated from fluid flow for imaging, emptied, and/or flushed, among others.
FIG. 40 shows a schematic view of an exemplary system 1460 for transport of reacted emulsions 1462 from an array to a detection channel 1464, for serial droplet detection. System may include an autosampler 1466 and an injection valve 1468 that serially load emulsions 1462 into detection channel 1464, for flow past a viewing window 1470 that is operatively disposed with respect to a detector 1470. A flow-focusing assembly 1472 may focus droplets in the flow stream before they reach detection channel 1464. Further aspects of flow-focusing upstream of a detection channel are described in Section VI.
N. Additional Embodiments
This example describes additional aspects of system architecture, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, presented without limitation as a series of numbered sentences.
(i). Flow System
1. A system for analyzing a sample, comprising (A) a droplet generator configured to generate droplets containing portions of a sample to be analyzed, the droplets being disposed in an immiscible fluid forming a sample emulsion, (B) a heating and cooling station having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, (C) a detection station downstream from the heating and cooling station, (D) a channel forming a single-pass continuous fluid route from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet of the heating and cooling station, (E) a pump for moving the sample emulsion through the channel, (F) a controller programmed to operate fluid transport through the channel, and (G) an analyzer configured to process data collected at the detection station.
2. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the detection system is situated to detect presence of target in the sample emulsion after passing through the heating and cooling system.
3. The system of paragraph 1 further comprising a droplet reservoir, a first fluid conduit connecting the droplet generator to the reservoir, and a second fluid conduit connecting the reservoir to the fluid inlet of the heating and cooling station.
4. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the droplet generator is adapted for single-use detachable connection to the heating and cooling station without exposing the heating and cooling station to contamination from sample contained in the sample emulsion.
5. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the droplet generator is configured to generate the sample emulsion external to the heating and cooling station.
6. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the heating and cooling station includes multiple heating zones along the fluid route configured for performing a polymerase chain reaction on a nucleic acid target contained in a droplet.
7. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the heating and cooling station includes at least one thermoelectric cooler.
8. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the droplet generator to alter droplet size based on data received from the detection station.
9. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the controller is programmed to alter sample concentration prior to droplet generation based on data received from the detection station.
10. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the controller is programmed to alter a sample preparation procedure prior to droplet generation in the droplet generator based on data received from the detection station.
11. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the analyzer is programmed to determine a concentration of a target molecule in the sample based at least partially on the frequency of droplets containing the target out of a population of droplets containing sample portions.
12. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the droplet generator includes a sample reservoir, an oil source, an oil/sample intersection, and an emulsion outlet, the emulsion outlet having a distal end portion adapted for detachable sealed engagement with a receiving port on the heating and cooling station.
13. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the droplet generator is contained in a cartridge having at least one piston for driving emulsification.
14. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the droplet generator is contained in a cartridge having at least one piston for pumping sample emulsion through the channel network.
15. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the channel includes a helical capillary tube portion passing through the heating and cooling station.
16. The system of paragraph 15, wherein the capillary tube portion has a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of droplets generated by the droplet generator.
17. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the capillary tube portion includes a hot-start segment passing through a hot-start zone prior to a denaturation zone in the heating and cooling station.
18. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the heating and cooling station includes thermoelectric coolers configured for controlling temperatures in heating and cooling zones by transferring heat between a thermal core and the heating and cooling zones.
19. The system of paragraph 15, wherein the helical capillary tube portion defines a helical path that decreases in length over successive cycles.
20. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the heating and cooling station includes (a) a core defining a central longitudinal axis, (b) a plurality of segments attached to the core and defining a plurality of temperature regions; and (c) a plurality of heating elements configured to maintain each temperature region approximately at a desired temperature, a portion of the channel configured to transport a sample emulsion cyclically through the temperature regions.
21. The system of paragraph 20, wherein the plurality of segments includes a plurality of inner segments defining the plurality of temperature regions and a plurality of outer segments attached to the inner segments, and wherein the portion of the channel is disposed between the inner and outer segments.
22. The system of paragraph 21, wherein the portion of channel includes fluidic tubing that wraps around the inner segments.
23. The system of paragraph 21, wherein the fluidic tubing is disposed in grooves of the inner segments that wrap substantially helically around the inner segments.
24. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the droplet generator is contained in a disposable cartridge.
25. The system of paragraph 24, wherein the cartridge includes a cell lysing region, a separating region, a reagent mixing region, and a droplet generation region for extracting nucleic acid from a sample and formation of droplets into a heat stable sample emulsion.
26. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the channel has open ends for permitting continuous flow of a sample emulsion.
27. The system of paragraph 1, wherein the droplet generator is capable of generating a heat stable sample emulsion.
(ii). Droplet Generator Plate
1. A device for generating an array of emulsions, comprising a plate including one or more oil reservoirs and forming an array of emulsion generator units, each unit including a sample port, a droplet collection site, and a channel intersection that receives a sample from the sample port and a carrier fluid from at least one oil reservoir and generates an emulsion of sample droplets in the carrier fluid that flows to the droplet collection site.
2. The device of paragraph 1, wherein the sample port is a well that permits sample loading from above the plate.
3. The device of paragraph 1, wherein each emulsion generator unit includes at least one oil reservoir.
4. The device of paragraph 3, wherein the at least one oil reservoir is a well that permits loading of the carrier fluid from above the plate.
5. The device of paragraph 1, wherein the sample ports collectively form a port array, and wherein the port array is arranged in correspondence with wells of a standard microplate.
6. The device of paragraph 5, wherein the plate has 96 sample ports.
7. The device of paragraph 1, wherein the channel