Articles and methods for performing assays
Inventors
KANG, Tae • Holloway, Stewart • Youngquist, Michael
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12241834-B2
Publication Date
2025-03-04
Expiration Date
Abstract
Instruments, components thereof, consumables therefor, and associated methods are generally provided. Advantageously, some instruments described herein may be capable of performing and/or configured to perform assays at a rate that is faster and/or requires less input from an operator than assays performed by other methods. Some methods may comprise performing assays at such faster rates and/or involving such reduced input.
Core Innovation
The specification describes automated or robotic assay instruments that include a functionalized probe and a proximal support structure that holds a container containing one or more fluids, such as a multi-well plate. The probe carries a reagent immobilized on the probe, and the instrument is configured to translate the probe between a plurality of locations at which different fluids are positioned on the support structure or within wells.
Optical detection is performed by an optical detector configured to detect an optical signal associated with species immobilized on the probe and species generated from a species immobilized on the probe. The optical signal comprises light that has been emitted and/or transmitted from a species immobilized on the probe, light that has been emitted, transmitted, reflected, and/or scattered from a species generated from a species immobilized on the probe, and the absence of light due to absorption of light by a species immobilized on the probe and/or by a species generated from a species immobilized on the probe.
The specification further describes configurations in which the probe transmits light from a light source to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmits light from an optical cable to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmits light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to the optical detector, and/or transmits light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to an optical cable. In some embodiments the probe transmits light through one or more apertures, where the apertures are positioned on a side of the probe opposite the optical cable, and the support structure and/or container portions are translated such that sequentially positioned proximal fluid locations can be brought into proximity with the probe for assay readouts.
Claims Coverage
The provided claim set includes multiple independent claims plus an independent method claim. Across these independent claims, the inventive features center on a reagent immobilized on a probe, a proximal support structure/container for one or more fluids with translation between locations or wells, and optical detection of emitted, transmitted, reflected, scattered light and/or absence of light due to absorption by immobilized or generated species.
Reagent immobilized on a probe with translation between fluid locations and optical detection
A probe with a reagent immobilized on the probe; a support structure positioned proximal to the probe with a container for one or more fluids positioned on the support structure; the probe is capable of being translated by the instrument between a plurality of locations at which a plurality of fluids are positioned; and an optical detector configured to detect an optical signal comprising light emitted or transmitted from a species immobilized on the probe, light emitted, transmitted, reflected, or scattered from a species generated from the immobilized species, and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by the immobilized species and/or by the generated species.
Housing with optical cable and apertures for transmitted light from immobilized and generated species
A housing with a component capable of receiving a probe; an optical cable and an optical detector configured to detect an optical signal; the probe transmits light through one or more apertures positioned on a side of the probe opposite the optical cable; a support structure positioned proximal to the housing component capable of receiving a container for one or more fluids; translation of the probe between a plurality of locations proximal to a plurality of locations in the container; transmission of the light via the optical cable to the optical detector; and optical signal comprising light emitted or transmitted from a species immobilized on the probe, light emitted, transmitted, reflected, or scattered from a species generated from the immobilized species, and/or absence of light due to absorption by the immobilized and/or generated species.
Sequential positioning of support-structure portions proximal to the probe for optical readout
A probe; a support structure positioned proximal to the probe wherein a container for one or more fluids is positioned on the support structure; the support structure is capable of being translated by the instrument such that a plurality of portions of the support structure are sequentially positioned proximal to the probe; reagent immobilized on the probe; and an optical detector configured to detect an optical signal comprising light emitted or transmitted from a species immobilized on the probe, light emitted, transmitted, reflected, or scattered from a species generated from the immobilized species, and/or absence of light due to absorption by the immobilized and/or generated species.
Sequential contacting of probe with wells using translation and optical detection of immobilized and generated species
Sequentially contacting a probe with a plurality of fluids by translating the probe across a plurality of wells containing the plurality of fluids; detecting an optical signal; a reagent immobilized on the probe; and the optical signal comprising light emitted and/or transmitted from a species immobilized on the probe, light emitted, transmitted, reflected, and/or scattered from a species generated from the immobilized species, and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by the immobilized species and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by the generated species.
Horizontal translation of probe with light transmission paths and polarized optical signals
An optical detector configured to detect an optical signal; a probe configured to transmit light from a light source to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmit light from an optical cable to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmit light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to the optical detector, and/or transmit light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to an optical cable; a support structure positioned proximal to the probe wherein a reagent is immobilized on the probe and the probe is capable of being horizontally translated by the instrument between a plurality of locations at which a plurality of fluids are positioned; and the optical signal comprising light that has been emitted and/or polarized from a species immobilized on the probe, light that has been emitted, polarized, and/or scattered from a species generated from a species immobilized on the probe, and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by a species immobilized on the probe and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by a species generated from the immobilized species.
Probe transmitting light between light source/optical cable and optical detector through proximal fluids with immobilized reagent and translation
An optical detector configured to detect an optical signal; a housing; and a probe wherein the probe is configured to transmit light from a light source to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmit light from an optical cable to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmit light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to the optical detector, and/or transmit light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to an optical cable; the housing comprises a component capable of receiving the probe and comprises a support structure positioned proximal to the component capable of receiving the probe; a reagent immobilized on the probe; the support structure is configured to receive a container for one or more fluids; the instrument is capable of horizontally translating the probe between a plurality of locations proximal to a plurality of locations in the container; and the optical signal comprises light emitted and/or polarized from a species immobilized on the probe, light emitted, polarized, and/or scattered from a species generated from the immobilized species, and/or absence of light due to absorption by immobilized and/or generated species.
Sequentially positioned support-structure portions proximal to probe with transmitted/polarized optical signals and absorbed-light absence
An optical detector configured to detect an optical signal; a probe configured to transmit light from a light source to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmit light from an optical cable to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmit light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to the optical detector, and/or transmit light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to an optical cable; a support structure positioned proximal to the probe wherein a reagent is immobilized on the probe, a container for one or more fluids is positioned on the support structure, and the support structure is capable of being translated by the instrument such that a plurality of portions of the support structure are sequentially positioned proximal to the probe; and the optical signal comprises light emitted and/or polarized from a species immobilized on the probe, light emitted, polarized, and/or scattered from a species generated from the immobilized species, and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by a species immobilized on the probe and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by a species generated from the immobilized species.
Multi-well plate container with sequential locations proximal to the probe and optical readout from immobilized and generated species
An optical detector configured to detect an optical signal; a housing; and a probe configured to transmit light from a light source to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmit light from an optical cable to a fluid positioned proximal to the probe, transmit light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to the optical detector, and/or transmit light from a fluid positioned proximal to the probe to an optical cable; a reagent immobilized on the probe; the housing comprises a component capable of receiving the probe and comprises a support structure positioned proximal to the component; a container for one or more fluids positioned on the support structure; the container comprises a multi-well plate; the support structure configured to receive the container; the support structure capable of being translated such that a plurality of locations in the container are sequentially positioned proximal to the probe when the probe is positioned in the component; and the optical signal comprises light emitted and/or polarized from a species immobilized on the probe, light emitted, transmitted, reflected, and/or scattered from a species generated from the immobilized species, and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by a species immobilized on the probe and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by a species generated from the immobilized species.
Providing probe and fluid container with aperture light transmission and optical detection of absorbed-light absence
Providing a probe; providing a container for one or more fluids positioned on a support structure; and detecting an optical signal wherein a reagent is immobilized on the probe, light is transmitted through one or more apertures on the probe, and the optical signal comprises light emitted and/or polarized from a species immobilized on the probe, light emitted, polarized, and/or scattered from a species generated from the immobilized species, and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by a species immobilized on the probe and/or absence of light due to absorption of light by a species generated from the immobilized species.
Across the independent claims, the main inventive concept is an assay instrument and method that use a probe with a reagent immobilized on the probe and a proximal support structure or container of one or more fluids. The system translates the probe and/or translated support-structure portions between multiple fluid locations or sequential portions or wells, while an optical detector measures optical signals from immobilized species and/or species generated from immobilized species, including emitted, transmitted, reflected, scattered, and polarized light and/or absence of light due to absorption. Embodiments further specify aperture-based transmission.
Stated Advantages
Faster assay rates
Reduced operator input
Smaller sample volumes
Improved reproducibility
Optional mechanical stopping of reactions by probe removal, reducing or eliminating stop reagents
Compatibility with kinetic, pulse, and patterned optical measurements
Multiplexing using multiple probes
Automated sequential contacting of the probe with multiple fluids or wells by translating the probe and/or support structure
Documented Applications
ELISA assays
Kinetic measurement, pulse measurement, and flash luminescence or flash reaction
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