Patent ID: 8900877

Claim:
A method, comprising: (a) disposing a cassette in an instrument enclosure, the cassette comprising: (i) a first chamber; (ii) a second chamber; (iii) a valve comprising a stationary piece and a movable piece, the movable piece defining a cavity within which magnetic particles can be disposed, the valve configured to transfer the magnetic particles between the first chamber and the second chamber while maintaining fluid isolation between the first chamber and the second chamber; and (iv) a third chamber comprising a puncturable portion defining at least a portion of a boundary between the third chamber and the first chamber; and (v) a fourth chamber comprising a puncturable portion defining at least a portion of a boundary between the fourth chamber and the first chamber; (b) actuating a first plunger associated with the third chamber of the cassette to transfer a first reagent from the third chamber into the first chamber; (c) actuating a second plunger associated with the fourth chamber of the cassette to transfer a second reagent from the fourth chamber into the first chamber; (d) applying a magnetic force to the valve to attract the magnetic particles into the cavity of the movable piece of the valve; and (e) moving the movable piece of the valve relative to the stationary piece of the valve such that the magnetic particles are transferred between the first chamber and the second chamber while maintaining fluid isolation between the first chamber and the second chamber.