Resin chamber apparatus, hybridization reaction system, nucleic acid analysis system, and sample setting method for resin chamber apparatus
The resin chamber device, with a sealing and clamping mechanism, addresses the disposal challenge of glass-resin cassettes by ensuring airtightness and allowing for complete disposal, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024040909
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-15
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-29
AI Technical Summary
The existing biochemical reaction cassettes, made by joining glass and resin housing, are difficult to dispose of due to the need for separation, which complicates disposal and increases costs.
A resin chamber device with a sealing member, transparent member, substrate, and clamping mechanism made entirely of resin, ensuring airtightness and allowing for disposable use.
Enables airtight and disposable resin chamber devices, improving working efficiency and reducing disposal complexity while maintaining chamber integrity.
Smart Images

Figure 2025141129000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a resin chamber device, a hybridization reaction system, a nucleic acid analysis system, and a method for setting a sample in a resin chamber device. [Background technology]
[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a target substance detection device comprising a biochemical reaction cassette having a fixation region for a probe for detecting a target substance, a reaction chamber for reacting a sample with the fixation region, and a first flow path and a second flow path that connect the cassette to the outside, the cassette being provided with a sealing portion capable of sealing the first flow path, and a pressure relief means for maintaining the pressure in the reaction chamber at an approximately constant level. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-082084 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] The biochemical reaction cassette is made by joining glass and a resin housing, and therefore must be separated for disposal, making it difficult to make it disposable.
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a resin chamber device that is disposable while ensuring the airtightness of the chamber, a hybridization reaction system, a nucleic acid analysis system, and a method for setting a sample in a resin chamber device. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the resin chamber device according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a sealing member having a well forming portion formed therein that penetrates in the thickness direction, a transparent member that is arranged on a first surface side of the sealing member where one end of the well forming portion opens and that blocks one end of the well forming portion, a substrate that is arranged on a second surface side of the sealing member where the other end of the well forming portion opens and that blocks the other end of the well forming portion, a first frame that abuts against the transparent member, a second frame that abuts against the substrate, and a clamping member that clamps the peripheral portions of the first frame and the second frame.
[0007] A resin chamber device according to a second aspect of the present invention is a resin chamber device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the first frame and the second frame are formed in a rectangular shape when viewed in a plane, and may have a plurality of slide grooves extending longitudinally from the four corners, into which the clamp members engage.
[0008] A resin chamber device according to a third aspect of the present invention is a resin chamber device according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the slide groove has a first inclined shape that becomes shallower toward the longitudinal center position of the first frame and the second frame, and the clamp member may have an engaging claw portion that engages with the slide groove and has a second inclined shape corresponding to the first inclined shape.
[0009] A resin chamber device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a resin chamber device according to the first to third aspects of the present invention, wherein the first frame has a surface covered with jet black resin plating and has a window portion formed therein through which the well formation portion can be viewed through the transparent member.
[0010] A resin chamber device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is a resin chamber device according to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, wherein one of the first frame and the second frame may have a positioning pin formed thereon that protrudes toward the other, and the other of the first frame and the second frame may have a positioning hole formed thereon into which the positioning pin engages.
[0011] A hybridization reaction system according to the sixth aspect of the present invention performs a hybridization reaction using the resin chamber device according to the first to fifth aspects of the present invention.
[0012] The nucleic acid analysis system according to the seventh aspect of the present invention analyzes nucleic acids extracted using the hybridization reaction system according to the sixth aspect of the present invention. Nucleic acid analysis system.
[0013] A sample setting method for a resin chamber device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention includes a first step of forming a first chamber unit by overlaying a sealing member, one end of which is blocked by a transparent member and penetrates through the thickness direction, on a first frame; a second step of dripping a sample into the well formation portion from the other end of the well formation portion after the first step; a third step of overlaying a second chamber unit, formed by overlaying a substrate on a second frame after the second step, on the first chamber unit and blocking the other end of the well formation portion with the substrate; and a fourth step of clamping the peripheral portions of the first frame and the second frame with a clamp member after the third step. [Effects of the Invention]
[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a resin chamber device, a hybridization reaction system, a nucleic acid analysis system, and a sample setting method for a resin chamber device that can be disposable while ensuring the airtightness of the chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a resin chamber device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a front view of a resin chamber device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a resin chamber device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a resin chamber device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a sample setting method for a resin chamber device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an assembly diagram of a resin chamber device according to the flow diagram shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is an assembly diagram of a resin chamber device according to the flow diagram shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is an assembly diagram of a resin chamber device according to the flow diagram shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is an assembly diagram of a resin chamber device according to the flow diagram shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic diagram of a nucleic acid analysis system using a resin chamber device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view of a resin chamber device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a resin chamber device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a resin chamber device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Hereinafter, a resin chamber device, a hybridization reaction system, a nucleic acid analysis system, and a method for setting a sample in a resin chamber device according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, an overview of the embodiments of the present invention will be described, followed by a detailed description of each embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] 〔overview〕 The aforementioned Patent Document 1 discloses a hybridization chamber that has two flow paths for injecting samples and agitates the samples to improve reaction efficiency. This hybridization chamber prevents the flow of samples from being obstructed by a pressure relief means that maintains a substantially constant pressure inside the reaction chamber. However, the configuration described in Patent Document 1 involves joining glass and a resin housing, which can result in high manufacturing costs. Furthermore, disposal requires the glass and resin housing to be separated, making it difficult to make the hybridization chamber disposable.
[0018] In response to the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of the present application have devised a configuration in which a chamber unit is sandwiched between chamber frames connected by a hinge mechanism so that they can be opened and closed, and a latch mechanism is used to secure the chamber frames so that they do not open. With this configuration, the chamber unit can be removed from the chamber frame by releasing the latch mechanism, making the chamber unit disposable, and discarded without scattering samples. Furthermore, the chamber frame does not require cleaning and can be reused. However, the chamber frame is made of a metal material to ensure strength, etc., and the entire device has not yet been made disposable.
[0019] In an embodiment of the present invention, the transparent member, the sealing member, and the substrate are sandwiched between a first frame and a second frame, and the peripheral edges of the first frame and the second frame are clamped by a clamping member. This configuration ensures the hermeticity of the well-forming portion formed in the sealing member while using various components made of resin. Therefore, the resin chamber device can be disposed of as is after use.
[0020] [First embodiment] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a resin chamber device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the resin chamber device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the resin chamber device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the resin chamber device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the resin chamber device 1 includes a sealing member 10, a transparent member 11, a DNA array substrate 12 (substrate), a first frame 30, a second frame 40, and a clamp member 50.
[0021] The seal member 10, transparent member 11, DNA array substrate 12, first frame 30, second frame 40, and clamp member 50 are made of resin materials. The seal member 10 may be made of, for example, an elastic silicone resin to ensure the sealing of the well formation region 20. The first frame 30, second frame 40, and clamp member 50 are made of a resin material with higher strength than the seal member 10 to maintain their shape. A high-strength resin material preferably has an elastic modulus of 10 GPa or more, and unless otherwise specified, known resin materials can be used. The transparent member 11 and DNA array substrate 12 may be made of a high-strength resin material, but they may also be made of a resin material with an elastic modulus of approximately 2 GPa (e.g., cycloolefin polymer (COP) resin).
[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the resin chamber device 1 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. In the following description, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is set up, and the positional relationship of each component may be described with reference to this XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. The X-axis direction is the short side direction (left-right direction) of the resin chamber device 1. The Y-axis direction is the long side direction (front-back direction) of the resin chamber device 1. The Z-axis direction is the thickness direction (up-down direction) of the resin chamber device 1.
[0023] As shown in Fig. 3, the sealing member 10 has a flat, rectangular shape in a plan view. A plurality of well-forming portions 20 are formed in the sealing member 10, penetrating the sealing member 10 in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction). The well-forming portions 20 are formed in two rows, one in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) and spaced apart in the lateral direction (X-axis direction). Note that the number, arrangement, and shape of the well-forming portions 20 are not limited to those shown in the figure.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 4, the transparent member 11 is disposed on the first surface 10A side of the sealing member 10, where one end (upper end) of the well-forming portion 20 is open. The transparent member 11 closes the opening at one end (upper end) of the well-forming portion 20 when the resin chamber device 1 is assembled. For example, a cycloolefin polymer (COP) resin can be suitably used as the transparent member 11. The sealing member 10 may be molded in advance on one side of the transparent member 11. This can improve the sealing performance between the transparent member 11 and the sealing member 10.
[0025] As shown in Fig. 3, the DNA array substrate 12 has a plurality of DNA microarrays 12a in which probe carriers for hybridization reactions are arranged in an array. The DNA microarrays 12a are formed in an arrangement corresponding to the well formation portions 20. Note that the number of DNA microarrays 12a does not necessarily have to be the same as the number of well formation portions 20. Furthermore, when a reaction other than a hybridization reaction is to be performed, a substrate having a reaction portion corresponding to that reaction may be used.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 4, the DNA array substrate 12 is placed on the second surface 10B side of the seal member 10, where the other end (lower end) of the well formation portion 20 is open. When the resin chamber device 1 is assembled, the DNA array substrate 12 closes the opening at the other end (lower end) of the well formation portion 20. An annular convex portion 21B that abuts against the DNA array substrate 12 is formed on the periphery of the opening of the well formation portion 20 on the second surface 10B side of the seal member 10. The annular convex portion 21B has a semicircular convex shape in cross section. The annular convex portion 21B abuts against the DNA array substrate 12 attached to the seal member 10 in a compressed state in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), thereby improving the sealing of the well formation portion 20.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the first frame 30 is formed with a plurality of window portions 31 for observing the well formation portion 20. The plurality of window portions 31 are formed at positions that overlap with the well formation portion 20 in the Z-axis direction when the resin chamber device 1 is assembled. The window portions 31 penetrate the first frame 30 in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction). The window portions 31 are formed in two rows, one in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) and spaced apart in the lateral direction (X-axis direction). Note that the number, arrangement, and shape of the window portions 31 are not limited to those shown in the figure. As shown in FIG. 4, a groove portion 34 is formed on the lower side (-Z side) of the first frame 30, in which a transparent member 11 that covers the window portion 31 is placed.
[0028] The surface of the first frame 30 is covered with jet-black resin plating. If the first frame 30 is made of a normal high-strength resin material, the first frame 30 may emit autofluorescence, which may interfere with fluorescent observation of the well formation section 20. Therefore, by covering the surface of the first frame 30 with jet-black resin plating, it is possible to prevent the autofluorescence of the first frame 30 from interfering with fluorescent observation. In addition to the first frame 30, the sealing member 10, transparent member 11, and DNA array substrate 12 that form the well formation section 20 also have a light intensity of, for example, 5 uW / m 2 It is preferable to form the cover from the following low autofluorescence resin material.
[0029] 2 and 3, the first frame 30 has a positioning pin 33 formed on the surface (-Z side) facing the second frame 40. The second frame 40 has a positioning hole 41 with which the positioning pin 33 engages formed on the surface (+Z side) facing the first frame 30. As shown in FIG. 3, the positioning pin 33 and the positioning hole 41 are provided at two locations on one side in the longitudinal direction (-Y side) and one location on the other side in the longitudinal direction (+Y side), so that the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 cannot be combined when they are facing in opposite directions in the longitudinal direction.
[0030] 3, the second frame 40 is formed with a storage groove 42 for storing the DNA array substrate 12. The storage groove 42 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. A plurality of protrusions 41a for positioning the DNA array substrate 12 are formed on the side surface of the storage groove 42. A recess 41b, which is one step lower, is formed on the bottom surface of the storage groove 42. Double-sided adhesive tape (not shown) for fixing the DNA array substrate 12 is placed in the recess 41b.
[0031] As shown in Fig. 3, the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 are formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view. Slide grooves 32 extending in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) are formed on the peripheral edges of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40. The slide grooves 32 are formed from the four corners of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 along a pair of long sides of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40. The slide grooves 32 are formed linearly at a constant depth on the upper surface of the first frame 30 and the lower surface of the second frame 40.
[0032] 1 and 2, clamp members 50 are engaged with the slide grooves 32. The clamp members 50 are engaged with the slide grooves 32 from the four corners of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40. Therefore, in this embodiment, the peripheral edges of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 are clamped by the four clamp members 50.
[0033] 2, the clamp member 50 is formed in a U-shape when viewed in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction). An engaging claw 51 that engages with the slide groove 32 is formed at the tip of the U-shape of the clamp member 50. The clamp member 50 slides along the slide groove 32 in the Y-axis direction to engage with the first frame 30 and the second frame 40, and clamps the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 in the thickness direction.
[0034] 5 is a flow diagram of a sample setting method for the resin chamber device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6 to 9 are assembly diagrams of the resin chamber device 1 according to the flow diagram shown in FIG. When setting a sample in the resin chamber device 1 described above, first, the first chamber unit 2 is formed (first step) as shown in Fig. 6. Specifically, the first frame 30 is turned upside down, and the transparent member 11 and the sealing member 10 are superimposed on the first frame 30 to form the first chamber unit 2 (step S1).
[0035] 7, the second chamber unit 3 is formed. Specifically, the DNA array substrate 12 is placed on the second frame 40 to form the second chamber unit 3 (step S2). The DNA array substrate 12 may be fixed in place by placing a double-sided adhesive tape (not shown) in the receiving groove 42 of the second frame 40.
[0036] Next, a certain amount of sample is placed in the well formation portion 20 of the first chamber unit 2 shown in FIG. 6, which was assembled in step S1 (step S3). Specifically, the sample is dripped into the well formation portion 20 from the other open end (-Z side) of the well formation portion 20 using a pipetter or the like (second step). In this way, the sample can be dripped from directly above the well formation portion 20, so the operator does not need to have any special skills to perform the operation. In addition, because the annular convex portion 21B is formed around the periphery of the opening of the well formation portion 20, the possibility of contamination between adjacent well formation portions 20 is extremely low.
[0037] 8, the second chamber unit 3 is turned upside down and placed on the first chamber unit 2 (step S4). Specifically, the positioning pins 33 of the first frame 30 are aligned with the positioning holes 41 of the second frame 40, and the second chamber unit is placed on the first chamber unit. At this time, the second chamber unit 3 is turned upside down, but since the DNA array substrate 12 is fixed to the second frame 40, the DNA array substrate 12 does not fall. By placing the second chamber unit 3 on the first chamber unit 2 in this way, the other end of the well formation portion 20 is blocked by the DNA array substrate 12 (third step).
[0038] In this way, the DNA array substrate 12 is assembled after the sample has been dropped, so there is no contact between the DNA array substrate 12 and the pipetter, and there is no risk of damaging the DNA microarray 12a on the DNA array substrate 12. Furthermore, the DNA array substrate 12 can be assembled with high precision by aligning the positioning pins 33 of the first frame 30 with the positioning holes 41 of the second frame 40.
[0039] Next, as shown in Fig. 9, the peripheral edges of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 are clamped by clamp members 50 (fourth step). Specifically, the clamp members 50 are engaged with the slide grooves 32 at the four corners of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 (step S5). This compresses the seal member 10 between the first frame 30 and the second frame 40, and as shown in Fig. 4, the well formation portion 20 is sealed. Once all of the above steps are completed, the process moves to the next step (step S6).
[0040] After completing the processing in the next step, the resin chamber device 1 that has completed its role can be disposed of as is (step S7). Since the resin chamber device 1 does not contain metal materials, it can be disposed of without sorting. If there is no sample leakage, the parts of the resin chamber device 1 may be disassembled and some of them may be reused.
[0041] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a nucleic acid analysis system 600 using the resin chamber device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 10, a nucleic acid analysis system 600 includes a bacteria recovery system 200 , a nucleic acid extraction system 300 , a hybridization reaction system 400 , and a detection system 500 .
[0042] The microorganism collection system 200 is a system that collects microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, etc.) contained in the sample 100 from the sample 100. For example, in the case of testing a beverage, the sample 100 may be the produced beverage, the water used to produce the beverage, or a liquid in the process of producing the beverage. Alternatively, the sample 100 may be a liquid from which microorganisms have been collected using a cotton swab or the like that has been used to wipe the test environment in order to test for the presence or absence of bacterial contamination in the production environment and the degree of contamination.
[0043] The bacteria can be collected by filtering the collected liquid using a filter or the like, for example, by applying pressure or vacuum to the collected liquid. When collecting bacteria or fungi, the filter preferably has a pore size of 0.22 μm to 0.45 μm. After collecting the bacteria using the filter, the filter is placed in a culture vessel described below and immersed in a culture solution in which the bacteria are cultured, and the bacteria are cultured. Bacterial culture can be performed, for example, by static culture, in which the culture vessel is left stationary, or by shaking culture, in which the culture vessel is shaken. The culture solution in which the bacteria have been cultured is transferred to the next step (nucleic acid extraction system 300). The bacteria may be collected by centrifugation or the like and then transferred to the next step, or the liquid containing the filter may be shaken and the liquid in which the bacteria are suspended may be transferred to the next step.
[0044] The nucleic acid extraction system 300 is a system that destroys (dissolves) the membrane structure of cells in a liquid and extracts nucleic acids from bacterial cells. The sample 100 from which nucleic acids have been extracted may be mixed with a liquid containing other nucleic acids that react with the extracted nucleic acids. Furthermore, the other nucleic acids may be nucleic acids to which a moiety that exhibits fluorescence, luminescence, or quenching effects under specific conditions has been added for detection in the detection step (detection system 500) described below. These may be mixed with the sample 100 before processing with the nucleic acid extraction system 300, or may be mixed with the sample 100 after processing with the nucleic acid extraction system 300.
[0045] The hybridization reaction system 400 is a system that causes a hybridization reaction of nucleic acids in a sample 100. In this process, the resin chamber device 1 described above is used. In the hybridization reaction, the sample 100 is heated to, for example, 60°C and stirred in the well formation section 20, thereby causing a hybridization reaction that matches with the other nucleic acids described above. In this reaction, for example, a moiety that exhibits fluorescence, luminescence, or quenching effect under specific conditions, which is imparted to the other nucleic acid described above, reacts with the nucleic acid in the sample 100, thereby causing fluorescence, luminescence, or quenching.
[0046] Furthermore, by designing the structure of the other nucleic acid described above to react with a specific nucleic acid, it is possible to make it react only with the nucleic acid contained in a specific bacterium in the sample 100. In other words, in the processing of the hybridization reaction system 400, by using another nucleic acid that reacts with the specific nucleic acid, it is possible to make the fluorescence, luminescence, or quenching effect imparted to the other nucleic acid manifest only when the specific bacterium is contained in the sample 100.
[0047] The detection system 500 detects the presence or absence, and the degree of, fluorescence, luminescence, or quenching that occurs in the sample 100 that has been treated in the hybridization reaction system 400. The detection system 500, for example, excites the fluorescence that occurs in the nucleic acid of the sample 100 with an excitation laser beam, and detects the excited fluorescence with a high-sensitivity camera.
[0048] Alternatively, the detection system 500 uses a high-sensitivity camera to detect the luminescence effect expressed in the nucleic acid of the sample 100. Alternatively, the detection system 500 uses a high-sensitivity camera to detect the degree to which the fluorescence or luminescence imparted near the site to which the quenching effect is imparted is quenched, which is the quenching effect expressed in the nucleic acid of the sample 100. Regarding this detection method, for example, a method such as that described in JP 2020-74726 A may be adopted.
[0049] The nucleic acid analysis system 600 can analyze whether a particular microorganism (bacteria, fungi, etc.) is present in the sample 100 or its concentration by using a series of systems as described above.
[0050] As described above, the resin chamber device 1 according to this embodiment includes a sealing member 10 having a well-forming portion 20 formed therein that penetrates the sealing member 10 in the thickness direction, a transparent member 11 disposed on a first surface 10A of the sealing member 10 where one end of the well-forming portion 20 is open and that closes one end of the well-forming portion 20, a DNA array substrate 12 disposed on a second surface 10B of the sealing member 10 where the other end of the well-forming portion 20 is open and that closes the other end of the well-forming portion 20, a first frame 30 abutting the transparent member 11, a second frame 40 abutting the DNA array substrate 12, and a clamp member 50 that clamps the peripheries of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40. This configuration ensures the airtightness of the well-forming portion 20 while allowing the entire resin chamber device 1 to be disposable.
[0051] Furthermore, in the resin chamber device 1 according to this embodiment, the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 are formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view, and are formed with a plurality of slide grooves 32 extending longitudinally from the four corners and engaging with the clamp members 50. With this configuration, the airtightness of the well formation section 20 can be ensured by clamping the four corners of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 without using a metal material. Note that a leak test has confirmed that the airtightness of the well formation section 20 achieved by the resin chamber device 1 is equivalent to that achieved by a configuration using a chamber frame made of a metal material as described in the [Overview] section.
[0052] Furthermore, in the resin chamber device 1 according to this embodiment, the surface of the first frame 30 is covered with jet-black resin plating, and a window 31 is formed through which the well formation section 20 can be viewed through the transparent member 11. This configuration prevents the autofluorescence of the first frame 30 from interfering with fluorescence observation.
[0053] Furthermore, in the resin chamber device 1 according to this embodiment, one of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 is formed with a positioning pin 33 that protrudes toward the other, and the other of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 is formed with a positioning hole 41 that engages with the positioning pin 33. With this configuration, the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 can be assembled with high precision.
[0054] Furthermore, the hybridization reaction system 400 according to this embodiment performs the hybridization reaction using a resin chamber device. With this configuration, the entire resin chamber device 1 can be made disposable, thereby improving the working efficiency of the hybridization reaction.
[0055] Furthermore, the nucleic acid analysis system 600 according to this embodiment analyzes nucleic acids extracted using the hybridization reaction system 400. According to this configuration, the entire resin chamber device 1 can be made disposable, thereby improving the work efficiency of nucleic acid analysis.
[0056] The sample setting method for the resin chamber device 1 according to this embodiment includes the following steps: a first step of forming a first chamber unit by overlaying a sealing member 10, one end of which is blocked by a transparent member 11, on a first frame 30; a second step of dripping a sample into the well forming portion 20 from the other end thereof; a third step of overlaying a DNA array substrate 12 on a second frame 40 to form a second chamber unit on the first chamber unit, and blocking the other end of the well forming portion 20 with the DNA array substrate 12; and a fourth step of clamping the peripheries of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 with a clamp member 50. This configuration prevents contact between the DNA array substrate 12 and the pipetter, eliminating any risk of damaging the DNA microarray 12a on the DNA array substrate 12, since the DNA array substrate 12 is assembled after the sample is dripped. Furthermore, since the sample can be dropped from directly above the well forming portion 20, the operator does not need to have any special skills to perform the operation.
[0057] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same or equivalent components as those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.
[0058] FIG. 11 is a side view of a resin chamber device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 11, the slide groove 32 of the second embodiment is inclined. Specifically, the slide groove 32 has a first inclined shape 32a in which the depth in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction) becomes shallower toward the middle position in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the first frame 30 and the second frame 40.
[0059] The first inclined shape 32a is formed at an inclination of approximately 0.5° with respect to the XY plane. That is, when the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 are combined, the entrance dimensions of the upper and lower slide grooves 32 in the Z axis direction are small, and the dimensions in the Z axis direction increase toward the back. The clamp member 50 includes an engaging claw portion 51 having a second inclined shape 51a corresponding to the first inclined shape 32a. That is, the second inclined shape 51a is also formed at an inclination of approximately 0.5° with respect to the XY plane.
[0060] With this configuration, the slide groove 32 and the engaging claw 51 have inclined shapes that face the same direction, which makes it possible to absorb dimensional variations in resin material parts. That is, when the first frame 30 and the second frame 40 are combined, the entrance dimension of the slide groove 32 is small, and the entrance dimension of the clamp member 50 is conversely large, which allows the clamp member 50 to smoothly engage with the slide groove 32. Furthermore, when the clamp member 50 is inserted deep into the slide groove 32, the inclinations of the first inclined shape 32a and the second inclined shape 51a bring them into close contact, making it less likely that a gap will form between the clamp member 50 and the slide groove 32 even if there is dimensional variation in the resin material parts.
[0061] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same or equivalent components as those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.
[0062] Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a resin chamber device 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the resin chamber device 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these figures, the resin chamber device 1 of the third embodiment includes a sample receiving member 13 and a gasket 14 in addition to the above-mentioned sealing member 10, transparent member 11, DNA array substrate 12, first frame 30, second frame 40, and clamp member 50. The sample receiving member 13 and gasket 14 are also made of a resin material.
[0063] 13, the sample receiving member 13 has a dish shape that accommodates the DNA array substrate 12. The entire edge of the dish shape of the sample receiving member 13 is adhered to the outer periphery of the transparent member 11 via adhesive tape or adhesive (not shown). The gasket 14 is formed in a rectangular ring shape and is placed on the -Z side of the dish-shaped edge of the sample receiving member 13. The gasket 14 is compressed between the first frame 30 and the second frame 40, and the reaction force presses the dish-shaped edge (adhesive portion) of the sample receiving member 13 against the transparent member 11.
[0064] According to this configuration, when the resin chamber device 1 is disassembled, the sample spilling from the well forming portion 20 can be received by the sample receiving member 13. Therefore, the first frame 30, the second frame 40, and the clamp member 50 can be reused without cleaning.
[0065] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The shapes and combinations of the components shown in the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements, etc., without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]
[0066] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Resin chamber device, 2...First chamber unit, 3...Second chamber unit, 10...Sealing member, 10A...First surface, 10B...Second surface, 11...Transparent member, 12...DNA array substrate (substrate), 12a...DNA microarray, 13...Sample receiving member, 14...Gasket, 20...Well forming portion, 21B...Annular convex portion, 30...First frame, 31...Window portion, 32...Slide groove, 32a...First inclined shape, 33...Positioning pin, 34...Groove portion, 40...Second frame, 41...Positioning hole, 41a...Positioning convex portion, 41b...Recess, 42...Accommodation groove, 50...Clamping member, 51...Engaging claw portion, 51a...Second inclined shape, 100...Sample, 200...Bacteria recovery system, 300...Nucleic acid extraction system, 400...Hybridization reaction system, 500...Detection system, 600...Nucleic acid analysis system
Claims
1. a sealing member having a well-forming portion formed therein and penetrating in a thickness direction; a transparent member disposed on a first surface side of the sealing member where one end of the well forming portion is open, and covering the one end of the well forming portion; a substrate disposed on a second surface side of the sealing member where the other end of the well formation portion is open, and closing the other end of the well formation portion; a first frame that abuts against the transparent member; a second frame that abuts against the substrate; a clamp member that clamps peripheral edges of the first frame and the second frame. Resin chamber device.
2. The first frame and the second frame are formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view, and have a plurality of slide grooves extending from four corners along the longitudinal direction and engaging with the clamp members. The resin chamber device according to claim 1 .
3. the slide groove has a first inclined shape that becomes shallower toward a middle position in the longitudinal direction of the first frame and the second frame, the clamp member includes an engaging claw portion that engages with the slide groove and has a second inclined shape corresponding to the first inclined shape; The resin chamber device according to claim 2 .
4. The first frame has a surface covered with jet black resin plating, and has a window through which the well formation portion can be viewed through the transparent member. The resin chamber device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
5. a positioning pin protruding toward one of the first frame and the second frame; a positioning hole with which the positioning pin is engaged is formed in the other of the first frame and the second frame; The resin chamber device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
6. A hybridization reaction is carried out using the resin chamber device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Hybridization reaction system.
7. Analyzing nucleic acids extracted using the hybridization reaction system according to claim 6. Nucleic acid analysis system.
8. a first step of forming a first chamber unit by overlaying a sealing member, which has a well-forming portion penetrating in a thickness direction and one end of which is closed by a transparent member, on a first frame; a second step of dropping a sample into the well forming portion from the other end of the well forming portion after the first step; a third step of, after the second step, superposing a second chamber unit formed by superposing a substrate on a second frame, on the first chamber unit, and closing the other end of the well formation portion with the substrate; a fourth step of clamping peripheral edges of the first frame and the second frame with a clamp member after the third step, How to set a sample in a resin chamber device.
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Patent Citations
Biochemical reaction cassette
JP2009082084A