Patent ID: 7985716

Claim:
A sample preparation and microarray microfluidic sub-circuit for purifying perfect match (PM) target nucleic acids from a sample, prior to biochip hybridization, the subcircuit comprising: (a) a serpentine channel including a thermo-affinity reaction zone comprising a plurality of capture probes within the serpentine channel, wherein the thermo-affinity reaction zone is configured to receive a sample comprising PM target and mismatch (MM) nucleic acids through a first inlet port, and to hold the sample at a first predetermined temperature, wherein the temperature of the sample is progressively increased as the sample moves through the thermo-affinity reaction zone, and wherein the nucleic acid targets in the sample are purified by binding of MM nucleic acids to the capture probes as the sample flows through the thermo-affinity reaction zone; and (b) a gel element microarray chamber fluidly coupled to the thermo-affinity reaction zone configured to receive the sample through a second inlet port after the purified sample has passed through the thermo-affinity reaction zone; (c) a temperature controller wherein said microarray exhibits an increase of signal-to-noise of PM over MM nucleic acids.