Continuous polymer synthesizer

Abstract

Described is a system and method for synthesizing polymeric molecules such as oligonucleotides and polypeptides. The system is capable of continuously synthesizing molecules by providing an array of reaction sites and an array of stations for carrying out synthetic manipulations. The reaction sites in the former array can be placed in a fixed order and at fixed intervals relative to each other. Similarly, the stations can be placed in a fixed order and at fixed intervals relative to each other. The two arrays can be moved relative to each other such that the stations carry out desired steps of a reaction scheme at each reaction site. The relative locations of the stations and the schedule for the relative movement can correlate with the order and duration of reaction steps in the reaction scheme such that once a reaction site has completed a cycle of interacting with the full array of stations then the reaction scheme is complete.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 717,376 filed Sep. 14, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present embodiments relate to machines that synthesize molecules such as polymers. More specifically, the present embodiments relate to a device that continuously synthesizes biological polymers such as polypeptides and oligonucleotides. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Oligonucleotides are among the most important and prevalent reagents used in biotechnology laboratories engaged in research, diagnostics and therapeutics. The high demand for oligonucleotides derives from their exquisite specificity for complementary nucleotide sequences in DNA or RNA obtained from biological samples. This specificity allows oligonucleotides to be used as probes that specifically bind to ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a system and method for continuously synthesizing molecules and polymers using a fixed stage or array of reaction sites. The system includes a stage for accepting reaction sites, a plurality of dispensing stations for providing reaction solutions, and an imaging system for obtaining images of the reaction sites. The system can also include a control system for moving the stage or array of stations to sequentially communicate with the stations and remove the reaction solutions. The method includes sequentially providing reaction solutions to the reaction sites and imaging them. The invention allows for the continuous synthesis of molecules and polymers while sequentially performing reaction steps.

Problems solved by technology

Although a large number of such synthesizers can be employed to achieve relatively high throughput, this scale-up approach can result in unwanted inefficiencies.

An example of such inefficiency is the time that each synthesizer sits idle while waiting for individual incubation steps to be completed prior to delivery of the next reagent to any of the reactions.

Furthermore, instruments can experience substantial down time between synthesis reactions when new reaction vessels or reagents are reloaded.

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