Patent ID: 8349564

Claim:
An automated method for processing the contents of multiple reaction receptacles to determine the presence or amount of a target nucleic acid in each of the reaction receptacles, the method comprising the steps of: a) isolating and purifying target nucleic acid that may be present in a sample material contained within each of the reaction receptacles by: i) exposing each reaction receptacle to a magnetic field, thereby isolating magnetically responsive solid supports within each reaction receptacle, the solid supports being capable of directly or indirectly immobilizing the target nucleic acid thereon; ii) during step i), removing at least a portion of the sample material in each reaction receptacle from the isolated solid supports; and iii) after step ii), removing the magnetic field and washing the solid supports in each reaction receptacle with a wash solution; b) moving the reaction receptacles to a temperature-controlled chamber of an incubator, each reaction receptacle being provided with reagents sufficient to amplify and detect the presence of a target sequence contained within the target nucleic acid under the temperature conditions of the incubator, and effecting amplification of the target nucleic acid; c) exposing each reaction receptacle to a magnetic field within the incubator, thereby aggregating at least a portion of the solid supports within each reaction receptacle, wherein the incubator includes a reaction receptacle carrier that is rotatable about an axis of rotation and is configured to receive and hold reaction receptacles moved to the incubator, and wherein the receptacle carrier comprises: i) a plurality of receptacle carrier stations, each station being configured to receive and hold at least one reaction receptacle; and ii) a magnetic divider disposed between each of a pair of adjacent carrier stations and including one or more magnets configured to expose each reaction receptacle carried in one of the pair of adjacent carrier stations to a magnetic field in accordance with step c); and d) during step c), measuring the amount of a signal associated with an amplification product free in solution containing the target sequence or its complement in each reaction receptacle provided to the incubator in accordance with step b).