1114results about "Microorganism lysis" patented technology

An analyte is separated from a fluid sample by introducing the sample into a cartridge having an extraction chamber containing capture material for capturing the analyte. The sample is forced to flow through the extraction chamber to capture the analyte with the capture material in the extraction chamber. The captured analyte is then eluted from the extraction chamber by forcing an elution fluid to flow through the extraction chamber. The cartridge may optionally include a lysing region for lysing sample components (e.g., cells spores, or microorganisms), a waste chamber for storing waste fluid, and reaction or detection chambers for chemically reacting or detecting the eluted analyte.

A device for lysing components (e.g., cells, spores, or microorganisms) of a fluid sample comprises a cartridge having a lysing chamber for receiving the sample and having at least one solid phase in the lysing chamber for capturing the sample components to be lysed. An ultrasonic transducer is coupled to a wall of the lysing chamber to transfer ultrasonic energy to the captured sample components.

The invention provides methods of nucleic acid analysis. Such methods entail forming a population of gel microdrops encapsulating a population of biological entities, each entity comprising a nucleic acid, whereby at least some microdrops in the population each encapsulate a single entity. The population of gel microdrops is then contacted with a probe under conditions whereby the probe specifically hybridizes to at least one complementary sequence in the nucleic acid in at least one gel microdrop. At least one gel microdrop is then analyzed or detected. The biological entities can be cells, viruses, nuclei and chromosomes.

A process for reducing the protein content and preserving the capsular polysaccharide content in a complex cellular Streptococcus pneumoniae lysate broth prior to purification is described. Utilizing pH reduction after cellular lysis has resulted in a purified polysaccharide that consistently meets the protein specification, and higher recovery yields of polysaccharide during the purification process.

The present invention provides systems, devices, apparatuses and methods for automated bioprocessing. Examples of protocols and bioprocessing procedures suitable for the present invention include but are not limited to: immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, recombinant protein isolation, nucleic acid separation and isolation, protein labeling, separation and isolation, cell separation and isolation, food safety analysis and automatic bead based separation. In some embodiments, the invention provides automated systems, automated devices, automated cartridges and automated methods of western blot processing. Other embodiments include automated systems, automated devices, automated cartridges and automated methods for separation, preparation and purification of nucleic acids, such as DNA or RNA or fragments thereof, including plasmid DNA, genomic DNA, bacterial DNA, viral DNA and any other DNA, and for automated systems, automated devices, automated cartridges and automated methods for processing, separation and purification of proteins, peptides and the like.

A method of fractionating biomass, by permeability conditioning biomass suspended in a pH adjusted solution of at least one water-based polar solvent to form a conditioned biomass, intimately contacting the pH adjusted solution with at least one non-polar solvent, partitioning to obtain an non-polar solvent solution and a polar biomass solution, and recovering cell and cell derived products from the non-polar solvent solution and polar biomass solution. Products recovered from the above method. A method of operating a renewable and sustainable plant for growing and processing algae.

A method of fractionating biomass, by permeability conditioning biomass suspended in a pH adjusted solution of at least one water-based polar solvent to form a conditioned biomass, intimately contacting the pH adjusted solution with at least one non-polar solvent, partitioning to obtain an non-polar solvent solution and a polar biomass solution, and recovering cell and cell derived products from the non-polar solvent solution and polar biomass solution. Products recovered from the above method. A method of operating a renewable and sustainable plant for growing and processing algae.

A device for generating microbubbles in a gas and liquid mixture and injection device, the device comprising a housing defining a mixing chamber; means for mixing solution contained in the mixing chamber to generate microbubbles in the solution; and a needle array removably attached to the housing and in fluid connection with the mixing chamber, the needle array including at least one needle.

A highly sensitive assay is disclosed which utilizes a method for gene specific primed amplification of mRNA libraries from rare cells and rare transcripts found in blood. The assay allows detection of rare mRNA (10 copies / cell) found in 1 to 10 cells isolated through immunomagnetic enrichment. The assay is an improvement over multiplex PCR and allows efficient detection of rare coding sequences for circulating carcinoma cells in the blood. The methods are useful in profiling of cells isolated from tissues or body fluids and serves as an adjunct to clinical diagnosis of diverse carcinomas including early stage detection and classification of circulating tumor cells. Monitoring of nucleic acid and protein profiles of cells either in conventional or microarray formats, facilitates management of therapeutic intervention including staging, monitoring response to therapy, confirmation of remission and detection of regression.

The present invention provides a cartridge for analyzing a fluid sample. The cartridge provides for the efficient separation of cells or viruses in the sample from the remaining sample fluid, lysis of the cells or viruses to release the analyte (e.g., nucleic acid) therefrom, and optionally chemical reaction and / or detection of the analyte. The cartridge is useful in a variety of diagnostic, life science research, environmental, or forensic applications for determining the presence or absence of one or more analytes in a sample.

Methods for solubilizing algae or algal material are provided to facilitate the recovery of oil or lipids, as well as hydrocarbons and carbohydrates, from algae or algal material. The methods involve contacting algae or algal material with an oxoacid ester or thioacid ester of phosphorus or a mixture of an oxoacid of phosphorus and / or an alcohol to form a mixture thereof under conditions effective to solubilize the algae or algal material. These methods optionally further comprise bioconversion of the solubilized algae or algal material to form a composition suitable for recovery of oils and non-oil chemicals.

The present invention provides systems, methods, and devices for using acoustic energy.

This invention relates to novel enzymes and novel methods for producing the same. More specifically this invention relates to a variety of fungal enzymes. Nucleic acid molecules encoding such enzymes, compositions, recombinant and genetically modified host cells, and methods of use are described. The invention also relates to a method to convert lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars with enzymes that degrade the lignocellulosic material and novel combinations of enzymes, including those that provide a synergistic release of sugars from plant biomass. The invention also relates to a method to release cellular content by degradation of cell walls. The invention also relates to methods to use the novel enzymes and compositions of such enzymes in a variety of other processes, including washing of clothing, detergent processes, biorefining, deinking and biobleaching of paper and pulp, and treatment of waste streams.

An apparatus for disrupting cells or viruses comprises a container having a chamber for holding the cells or viruses. The container includes at least one flexible wall defining the chamber. The apparatus also includes a transducer for impacting an external surface of the flexible wall to generate pressure waves in the chamber. The apparatus also includes a pressure source for increasing the pressure in the chamber. The pressurization of the chamber ensures effective coupling between the transducer and the flexible wall. The apparatus may also include beads in the chamber for rupturing the cells or viruses.

A novel low cost separation process for separating lipid oil from an algal biomass for biofuel production is described herein. The process of the present invention comprises of two steps: (i) breaking the algae cells and (ii) separation of the lipid oils from the broken cells. The separated lipids are extracted by conventional techniques followed by conversion to a biofuel.

An apparatus for disrupting cells or viruses comprises a container having a chamber for holding the cells or viruses. The container includes at least one flexible wall defining the chamber. The apparatus also includes a transducer for impacting an external surface of the flexible wall to generate pressure waves in the chamber. The apparatus also includes a pressure source for increasing the pressure in the chamber. The pressurization of the chamber ensures effective coupling between the transducer and the flexible wall. The apparatus may also include beads in the chamber for rupturing the cells or viruses.

An analyte is separated from a fluid sample by introducing the sample into a cartridge having a sample port and a first flow path extending from the sample port. The first flow path includes an extraction chamber containing a solid support for capturing the analyte from the sample. The cartridge has a second flow path for eluting the captured analyte from the extraction chamber, the second flow diverging from the first flow path after passing through the extraction chamber. The sample is forced to flow through the extraction chamber and into a waste chamber, thereby capturing the analyte with the solid support as the sample flows through the extraction chamber. The captured analyte is then eluted from the extraction chamber by forcing an elution fluid to flow through the extraction chamber and along the second flow path.

The entire process of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is simplified by using oligonucleotide-immobilized microplates made of, e.g., polypropylene, to which oligonucleotides are securely immobilized and which can be subjected to thermal cycles of PCR. RT-PCR is preferably conducted in solid-phase. Capturing of mRNA and RT-PCR can be conducted in the same plates. The cDNA synthesized from the mRNA captured on the microplates can be used more than once. Further, in combination with the microplates, a filter plate is used for the preparation of cell lysates wherein target cells are placed on the filter plate, and a lysis buffer is passed through the cell layer on the filter to transfer cell lysate directly to the microplate via well-to-well communication.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for extracting non-polar lipids from microalgae are achieved using a lipid extraction device having an anode and a cathode that forms a channel and defines a fluid flow path through which an aqueous slurry is passed. An electromotive force is applied across the channel at a gap distance in a range from 0.5 mm to 200 mm to cause the non-polar lipids to be released from the algae cells. The non-polar lipids can be extracted at a high throughput rate and with low concentrations of polar lipids such as phospholipids and chlorophyll.

An analyte is separated from a fluid sample by introducing the sample into a cartridge having a sample port and a first flow path extending from the sample port. The first flow path includes an extraction chamber containing a solid support for capturing the analyte from the sample. The cartridge has a second flow path for eluting the captured analyte from the extraction chamber, the second flow diverging from the first flow path after passing through the extraction chamber. The sample is forced to flow through the extraction chamber and into a waste chamber, thereby capturing the analyte with the solid support as the sample flows through the extraction chamber. The captured analyte is then eluted from the extraction chamber by forcing an elution fluid to flow through the extraction chamber and along the second flow path.

The present invention provides a method and device for collecting treating and analysis of biological or chemical material by introducing a source material into a specimen container, transferring the source material to a processing device and thermally, chemically and / or mechanically treating the source material to alter at least one constitutive characteristic of the source material and to release or create a target material from the source material.

Described are embodiments that employ ultrasonic energy to selectively lyse larger adipose cells in a suspension containing adipose cells of different sizes resulting in a suspension in which the only viable cells are the small adipose cells and stem cells. Embodiments provide for generating an acoustic standing wave field of sufficient intensity and proper geometry, that high shear stress is induced on the cell membranes of cells larger than a predetermined size. The remaining small adipose cells can be physically separated from the suspension after the suspension is subjected to the acoustic standing wave field.

Devices, processes, and kits for the extraction of nucleic acids from biological samples are disclosed. The devices comprise a first port, a second port, and a binding chamber intermediate and in fluid communication with the first port and the second port. The binding chamber comprises an unmodified flat glass surface effective for binding a heterogeneous population of nucleic acids. The first port, second port, and binding chamber define a continuous fluid pathway that is essentially free of nucleic acid-specific binding sites.

An analyte is separated from a fluid sample by introducing the sample into a cartridge having a sample port and a first flow path extending from the sample port. The first flow path includes an extraction chamber containing a solid support for capturing the analyte from the sample. The cartridge has a second flow path for eluting the captured analyte from the extraction chamber, the second flow diverging from the first flow path after passing through the extraction chamber. The sample is forced to flow through the extraction chamber and into a waste chamber, thereby capturing the analyte with the solid support as the sample flows through the extraction chamber. The captured analyte is then eluted from the extraction chamber by forcing an elution fluid to flow through the extraction chamber and along the second flow path.

Large scale processes for producing high purity samples of biologically active molecules of interest from bacterial cells are disclosed. The methods comprise the steps of producing a lysate solution by contacting a cell suspension of said plurality of cells with lysis solution; neutralizing said lysate solution with a neutralizing solution to produce a dispersion that comprises neutralized lysate solution and debris; filtering the dispersion through at least one filter; performing ion exchange separation on said neutralized lysate solution to produce an ion exchange eluate; and performing hydrophobic interaction separation on said ion exchange eluate to produce a hydrophobic interaction solution. Further, provided are compositions comprising large scale amounts of plasmid DNA produced by the disclosed large scale processes.

A device for generating microbubbles in a gas and liquid mixture and injection device, the device comprising: a housing defining a mixing chamber; means for mixing solution contained in the mixing chamber to generate microbubbles in the solution; a needle array removably attached to the housing and in fluid connection with the mixing chamber, the needle array including at least one needle; and a machine readable identifier on the needle array.

A cellular constituent is lysed from, produced by and / or isolated from one or more bacteria from the genus Bacteroides, and the cellular constituent, a derivative thereof, and / or one or more bacteria from the genus Bacteroides, or a modified form thereof, is employed in compositions and methods for modulating an inflammatory response. Such methods include methods of treating, delaying the onset of or reducing the symptoms of one or more inflammatory conditions / diseases, including corporal or gastrointestinal inflammation, for example, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn's Disease, or colitis, and / or associated diseases such diabetes, asthma, multiple sclerosis, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, gingivitis, atopic diseases, for example, hay fever, food allergies, eczema, rhinitis, dermatitis, conjunctivitis, atopic syndrome and keratosis pelaris, ocular inflammatory disease, strokes, cardiovascular disease, depression, atherosclerosis and hypertension, and comprise administering a composition comprising one or more natural and / or modified bacteria of the genus Bacteroides, and / or a cellular constituent lysed from, produced by, or isolated from one or more natural and / or modified bacteria from the genus Bacteroides, or a derivative thereof.