Culture vessel, microbial culture system, and nucleic acid analysis system

Abstract

To provide a culture vessel that prevents liquid spillage, is easy to operate, and ensures that a sheet-like object is submerged in the liquid within the container body, and to provide a microorganism culture system and a nucleic acid analysis system, each using culture vessel.SOLUTION: A culture vessel 10 comprises a container body 11 that has an opening 11a in a slit shape and vertically accommodates a sheet-like object (membrane filter 100) through the opening 11a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a culture vessel, a microbial culture system, and a nucleic acid analysis system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a simple culture vessel that can replace traditional petri dishes. This culture vessel has a body and a lid, both made of a resin sheet; the body has a recess formed therein into which the culture medium is filled; the lid has a protrusion formed thereon that fits into the recess of the body; and an adhesive layer for sample collection is formed on the surface of the protrusion; when the protrusion is fitted into the recess, the adhesive layer comes into contact with the culture medium; and the body and lid are manufactured from the same resin sheet and connected by a hinge portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5103925 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The container body is designed to accommodate the object horizontally (flat), and therefore, when the medium is liquid, the object is likely to spill from the container body, making it difficult to handle. Also, when the object is sheet-shaped, at least a portion of the object may float on the surface of the medium, which may make it impossible to cultivate microorganisms attached to the object.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a culture vessel that is less likely to spill liquid, is easy to operate, and can ensure that sheet-like objects are submerged in liquid within the vessel body, as well as a microbial culture system and a nucleic acid analysis system that use the culture vessel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a culture vessel according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a vessel body having a slit-shaped opening and containing a sheet-like object vertically from the opening.

[0007] A culture vessel according to a second aspect of the present invention is a culture vessel according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the vessel body has a pair of side wall portions adjacent to each other in the short direction of the opening, and the lower portions of the pair of side wall portions are curved in an arc shape.

[0008] A culture vessel according to a third aspect of the present invention is a culture vessel according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the upper portions of the pair of side wall portions are formed in a rectangular shape that is continuous with the arc shape and are formed longer in the vertical direction than the vertical dimension of the lower portion.

[0009] A culture vessel according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the culture vessel according to the second or third aspect of the present invention, wherein the distance between the opposing surfaces of the pair of side wall portions increases from the bottom of the vessel body toward the opening.

[0010] A culture vessel according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the culture vessel according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, wherein a sloped pour spout is formed in at least a part of the opening.

[0011] A culture vessel according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the culture vessel according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, further comprising a lid that covers at least a part of the opening.

[0012] A culture vessel according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the culture vessel according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, wherein the cover is breathable.

[0013] A culture vessel according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the culture vessel according to the sixth or seventh aspect of the present invention, further comprising a sealing part that seals the gap between the lid part and the vessel body.

[0014] A culture vessel according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the culture vessel according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, wherein the lid portion is a film, and the sealing portion is an adhesive that allows the film to be attached and detached.

[0015] A culture vessel according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the culture vessel according to any one of the first to ninth aspects of the present invention, wherein a plurality of the vessel bodies are connected via a connecting portion.

[0016] A culture vessel according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the culture vessel according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the connecting portion has a breakable weakened portion.

[0017] A culture vessel according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is a culture vessel according to the second to fourth aspects of the present invention, wherein the pair of side walls are formed with inverted cone-shaped bulges that partially widen the opening in the short direction.

[0018] A culture vessel according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a culture vessel according to any one of the second to fourth and twelfth aspects of the present invention, wherein the pair of side wall portions are formed with protrusions that protrude inward of the vessel body.

[0019] A microbial culture system according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention cultures microorganisms using a culture vessel according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects of the present invention.

[0020] A nucleic acid analysis system according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention comprises the microorganism culture system according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, and analyzes nucleic acids extracted from the microorganisms. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the above aspects of the present invention, it is possible to provide a culture vessel that is less likely to spill liquid, is easy to operate, and can ensure that sheet-like objects are submerged in liquid within the container body, as well as a microbial culture system and a nucleic acid analysis system that use the culture vessel. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a nucleic acid analysis system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the culture vessel according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a culture vessel according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway side view of a culture vessel according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a culture vessel according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a culture vessel according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway side view of a culture vessel according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view of a culture vessel according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XII-XII in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a culture vessel according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a side view of a container body according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 15] 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XV-XV in FIG. 14. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a container body according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, a culture vessel, a microbial culture system, and a nucleic acid analysis system 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 the embodiments of the present invention.

[0024] 〔overview〕 Microorganisms such as bacteria can have adverse effects on the human body, and a method for detecting microbial contamination is desired. Traditionally, such testing involves culturing microorganisms on an agar medium or the like using a petri dish and counting the number of colonies that form to detect the presence or number of microbial contamination. For example, Patent Document 1 above discloses a technology relating to a culture vessel that can replace such traditionally used petri dishes and allows for easy sample collection and culture.

[0025] On the other hand, in tests using colonies generated by culture, it may take several days to several weeks for the colonies to grow to a size that can be tested, and therefore a method for testing microbial contamination more quickly is desired, and various rapid measurement methods have been developed. For example, techniques have been developed to extract nucleic acids from microorganisms by treating microbial cells at high temperature and pressure, and to measure the sequence of specific nucleic acids by fluorescence through hybridization.

[0026] One such rapid measurement method involves capturing microorganisms using a membrane filter and extracting nucleic acids from the liquid containing the captured microorganisms. However, nucleic acid extraction from microorganisms captured on a membrane filter does not yield a sufficient amount of nucleic acid for measurement, making it impossible to detect the microorganisms. For this reason, there is a need for a technology that allows the microorganisms captured by the membrane filter to be cultured and then the nucleic acids extracted from the liquid containing the grown microorganisms for testing.

[0027] The culture vessel disclosed in Patent Document 1 relates to culture using a solid medium such as an agar medium. Therefore, it is not possible to culture microorganisms captured by a membrane filter in a liquid using this culture vessel, and it is not possible to extract and test nucleic acids from a liquid containing the aforementioned microorganisms. Furthermore, when culturing microorganisms captured by a membrane filter in a liquid using a traditional petri dish used for culture, the opening of the petri dish is large, and there is a problem that the liquid used for culture is easily spilled when performing operations such as moving the petri dish, making the operation difficult.

[0028] Furthermore, when culturing microorganisms in a liquid, it is desirable to ensure that the membrane filter on which the microorganisms are captured is submerged in the liquid in order to ensure that the microbial culture state is uniform. However, when microorganisms captured by a membrane filter are cultured in a liquid using a traditional Petri dish used for culture, at least a portion of the membrane filter floats in the Petri dish, making it difficult to ensure that the membrane filter is submerged in the culture medium.

[0029] On the other hand, to ensure that the membrane filter is submerged in the culture medium, it is necessary to increase the amount of culture medium placed in the petri dish. However, if the culture medium is increased, the amount of microorganisms increased by the culture is mainly determined by the culture time, and the amount of microorganisms contained in the culture medium remains the same after the same culture time has elapsed, resulting in a decrease in the concentration of microorganisms contained in the culture medium. In other words, if the culture medium is increased, the concentration of microorganisms contained in the liquid will decrease for the same culture time, which can result in a concentration of microorganisms that cannot be detected by the above-mentioned test, causing problems with microbial testing. Conversely, culturing until a detectable concentration of microorganisms is reached results in the problem of prolonging the culture time.

[0030] In response to these challenges, a culture vessel, a microbial culture system, and a nucleic acid analysis system according to one embodiment of the present invention include a container body having a slit-shaped opening and configured to accommodate a sheet-like object vertically through the opening. This allows the container body to be deeper without increasing the internal volume of the container body, making liquid less likely to spill and facilitating operation. Furthermore, by accommodating a sheet-like object vertically in the container body, the object is less likely to float on the liquid surface. This ensures that the object remains submerged in the liquid even with a small amount of liquid. Therefore, efficient culture is possible in a liquid medium using a sheet-like object.

[0031] [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a nucleic acid analysis system 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the nucleic acid analysis system 1 includes a microorganism recovery system 2, a microorganism culture system 3, a nucleic acid extraction system 4, a hybridization reaction system 5, and a detection system 6.

[0032] The microorganism collection system 2 is a system that collects microorganisms (such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi) contained in the sample 200 from the sample 200. For example, in the case of testing a beverage, the sample 200 may be the produced beverage, the water used to produce the beverage, or a liquid from the process of producing the beverage. Alternatively, the sample 200 may be a liquid from which microorganisms have been collected using a cotton swab or the like that has been used to wipe the testing environment in order to test for the presence or absence of microbial contamination in the manufacturing environment and the level of contamination.

[0033] The microorganisms can be collected by, for example, applying pressure or vacuum to the collected liquid and filtering it through a membrane filter 100 (a sheet-like object) described below. When collecting microorganisms, the membrane filter 100 preferably has a pore size of 0.22 μm to 0.45 μm. After collecting the microorganisms with the membrane filter 100, the membrane filter 100 is placed in a culture vessel 10 described below and immersed in a culture solution in which the microorganisms are cultured, and the microorganisms are cultured in a microorganism culture system 3.

[0034] The microorganism culture system 3 is a system for culturing microorganisms using a culture vessel 10 described below. Microorganisms can be cultured, for example, by static culture, in which the culture vessel 10 is left stationary, or by shaking culture, in which the culture vessel 10 is shaken while the culture vessel 10 is shaken. The culture liquid in which the microorganisms have been cultured is transferred to the next step (nucleic acid extraction system 4). The liquid containing the membrane filter 100 may be vibrated, and the liquid in which the microorganisms are suspended may be transferred to the next step.

[0035] The nucleic acid extraction system 4 is a system that destroys (dissolves) the membrane structure of cells in a liquid and extracts nucleic acids from microbial cells. The sample 200 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 action under specific conditions has been added for detection in the detection step (detection system 6) described below. These may be mixed with the sample 200 before processing by the nucleic acid extraction system 4, or may be mixed with the sample 200 after processing by the nucleic acid extraction system 4.

[0036] The hybridization reaction system 5 is a system that causes a hybridization reaction of nucleic acids in the sample 200. In this process, the sample 200 is heated, for example, to 60°C and stirred, to cause 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, reacts with the nucleic acid in the sample 200, thereby producing fluorescence, luminescence, or quenching effect.

[0037] 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 microorganism in the sample 200. In other words, in the processing of the hybridization reaction system 5, 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 microorganism is contained in the sample 200.

[0038] The detection system 6 detects the presence or absence, and the degree of, fluorescence, luminescence, or quenching that occurs in the sample 200 that has been treated in the hybridization reaction system 5. The detection system 6, for example, excites the fluorescence that occurs in the nucleic acid of the sample 200 with an excitation laser beam, and detects the excited fluorescence with a high-sensitivity camera.

[0039] Alternatively, the detection system 6 uses a high-sensitivity camera to detect the luminescence effect expressed in the nucleic acid of the sample 200. Alternatively, the detection system 6 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 200. Regarding this detection method, for example, a method such as that described in JP 2020-74726 A may be adopted.

[0040] The nucleic acid analysis system 1 uses a series of systems as described above to determine whether a particular microorganism (such as a virus, bacteria, or fungus) is present in the sample 200 or to analyze its concentration.

[0041] Fig. 2 is a side view of the culture vessel 10 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the culture vessel 10 according to the first embodiment. As shown in these figures, the culture vessel 10 has a slit-shaped opening 11a, and is equipped with a vessel body 11 that houses a circular membrane filter 100 vertically from the opening 11a.

[0042] Note that "slit-shaped" includes not only rectangular but also approximately rectangular. Approximately rectangular includes rectangles where parts (such as corners) are arc-shaped or tapered, and also includes rectangles where unevenness is formed in parts but the whole can be considered a slit. Similarly, "shaped" will be used in the same broad sense as above.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 2, a sloped spout 11b is formed at one longitudinal end of the opening 11a. Hereinafter, in the culture vessel 10, the side where the spout 11b is formed is referred to as the "front," and the side opposite the spout 11b is referred to as the "rear," thereby defining the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom. Note that the spout 11b may be formed at both longitudinal ends of the opening 11a. In this case, the side where one of the two spouts 11b is formed is referred to as the "front," and the side where the other spout 11b is formed is referred to as the "rear," thereby defining the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom.

[0044] The container body 11 can be molded from resin by, for example, injection molding, vacuum forming, or pressure forming. The container body 11 can also be formed from, for example, a transparent or semi-transparent resin. By making the container body 11 transparent or semi-transparent, the membrane filter 100 and the culture solution inside can be checked. As shown in Fig. 3, the container body 11 has a pair of side wall portions 20 adjacent to each other in the short-side direction (left-right direction) of the opening 11a. The lower portions of the pair of side wall portions 20 are curved in an arc shape as shown in Fig. 2. In this embodiment, since the membrane filter 100 is circular, the lower portions of the pair of side wall portions 20 are curved in a semicircular shape.

[0045] The upper portions of the pair of side wall portions 20 are formed in a rectangular shape that continues from the arc shape of the lower portions, and are formed to be longer in the vertical direction than the vertical dimension of the lower portions. In this embodiment, the vertical dimension of the upper portions of the pair of side wall portions 20 is equal to or greater than the radius of the membrane filter 100. In other words, the upper portions of the pair of side wall portions 20 extend to a position higher than the upper end of the membrane filter 100 when placed vertically.

[0046] Liquid level scales 12 are provided on the outer surfaces of the pair of side wall portions 20. At least one liquid level scale 12 should be provided at a position higher than the top end of the membrane filter 100 when placed upright. By pouring culture medium up to the liquid level scale 12, the membrane filter 100 can be reliably submerged in the liquid. The liquid level scale 12 may be formed by printing on the container body 11, or may be formed by providing projections and depressions on the outer surface of the container body 11.

[0047] 3, the distance between the opposing surfaces of the pair of side wall portions 20 gradually increases from the bottom 11c of the container body 11 toward the opening 11a. The pair of side wall portions 20 include a first opposing surface 21 and a second opposing surface 22. The first opposing surface 21 extends from the bottom 11c of the container body 11 to above the membrane filter 100. The first opposing surface 21 forms a narrow space capable of housing the membrane filter 100 vertically.

[0048] The second opposing surface 22 is connected to the upper end of the first opposing surface 21, has a gentler inclination with respect to the horizontal plane than the inclination of the first opposing surface 21, and is wider on both the left and right sides. The second opposing surface 22 widens the width of the opening 11a in the short direction above the membrane filter 100, making it easier to insert the membrane filter 100 into the container body 11.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral edges of the pair of side walls 20, excluding the opening 11a including the spout 11b, are connected by a front wall 30 and a rear wall 40. As shown in FIG. 4, the front wall 30 has a curved surface 31 and an inclined surface 32. The inclined surface 32 slopes downward from the lower end of the spout 11b. The inclined surface 32 faces the rear wall 40 in the front-to-rear direction (the longitudinal direction of the opening 11a). The curved surface 31 extends from the lower end of the inclined surface 32 to the lowest end inside the container body 11. The curved surface 31 forms the front portion of the arc-shaped bottom 11c of the container body 11 (see FIG. 2).

[0050] As shown in Fig. 4, the rear wall 40 also has a curved surface 41 and an inclined surface 42. The inclined surface 42 is inclined downward from the upper end of the rear wall 40. The inclined surface 42 faces the inclined surface 32 of the front wall 30 in the front-rear direction (the longitudinal direction of the opening 11a). The curved surface 41 extends from the lower end of the inclined surface 42 to the lowest end inside the container body 11. The curved surface 41 faces the curved surface 31 of the front wall 30 in the front-rear direction (the longitudinal direction of the opening 11a) and forms the rear portion of the arc-shaped bottom 11c (see Fig. 2) of the container body 11.

[0051] As described above, the culture vessel 10 of this embodiment has a slit-shaped opening 11a and includes a vessel body 11 that vertically accommodates a membrane filter 100 (sheet-like object) through the opening 11a. With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 3, the accommodation space of the vessel body 11 can be deepened without increasing the internal volume of the vessel body 11, making it less likely for the culture medium to spill and facilitating operation. Furthermore, by accommodating the membrane filter 100 vertically in the vessel body 11, the membrane filter 100 is less likely to float on the liquid surface. This ensures that the membrane filter 100 remains submerged in the liquid even with a small amount of liquid. Therefore, efficient culture is possible in a liquid medium using the membrane filter 100.

[0052] In this embodiment, the container body 11 has a pair of side walls 20 adjacent to each other in the short direction of the opening 11a, and the lower portions of the pair of side walls 20 are curved in an arc shape as shown in Fig. 2. This configuration reduces dead space within the container body 11, and allows the membrane filter 100 to be submerged in liquid even with a small amount of liquid.

[0053] In this embodiment, the upper portions of the pair of side walls 20 are formed in a rectangular shape that continues into the arc shape of the lower portions, and are formed to be longer in the vertical direction than the vertical dimension of the lower portions. With this configuration, the membrane filter 100 can be inserted from the opening 11a to the bottom 11c of the container body 11 without being bent or deformed.

[0054] 3, the distance between the opposing surfaces of the pair of side wall portions 20 increases from the bottom portion 11c of the container body 11 toward the opening portion 11a. This configuration makes it easier to accommodate the membrane filter 100 in the container body 11. Furthermore, when the container body 11 is formed by injection molding, vacuum forming, pressure forming, or the like, it is easier to release from the mold and form the shape.

[0055] In this embodiment, a slanted spout 11b is formed in at least a part of the opening 11a, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. This configuration makes it possible to easily transfer the culture solution after culturing the microorganisms to another container, allowing for easy progression to the next step.

[0056] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a culture vessel 10 that is less likely to spill liquid, is easy to operate, and can ensure that the sheet-like object is submerged in liquid within the container body 11, as well as a microbial culture system and a nucleic acid analysis system that use the culture vessel 10.

[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. 5 is a partially cutaway side view of the culture vessel 10 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the culture vessel 10 according to the second embodiment. As shown in these figures, the culture vessel 10 of the second embodiment has a lid portion 50 that covers at least a part of the opening 11a.

[0059] The lid 50 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top. The lid 50 includes a top wall 51 and a peripheral wall 52. The top wall 51 covers the entire opening 11a, including the spout 11b, of the container body 11. In a plan view shown in FIG. 7, the top wall 51 has a right-angled pentagonal shape with a convex front side (the spout 11b side).

[0060] As shown in FIG. 6, the peripheral wall 52 extends downward from the peripheral edge of the top wall 51 and surrounds the opening 11a of the container body 11 from the side. A sealing portion 60 may be further provided inside the peripheral wall 52. The sealing portion 60 seals the gap between the lid 50 and the container body 11. The sealing portion 60 may be made of, for example, flexible rubber or elastomer. Alternatively, the container body 11 and the lid 50 may be fitted together to form a seal.

[0061] As described above, the culture vessel 10 of the second embodiment has a lid 50 that covers at least a portion of the opening 11a. With this configuration, for example, when performing shaking culture, the lid 50 can prevent the culture solution in the vessel body 11 from leaking out. Furthermore, by closing the opening 11a, contamination caused by airborne microorganisms, foreign matter, etc. falling into the vessel body 11 can be prevented.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a sealing part 60 is provided to seal the gap between the lid part 50 and the container body 11. This configuration reliably prevents leakage of the culture solution and contamination by floating matter. In the case of static culture, the sealing part 60 may not be required because there is little possibility of leakage of the culture solution.

[0063] 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.

[0064] Fig. 8 is a plan view of the culture vessel 10 according to the third embodiment. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a partially cutaway side view of the culture vessel 10 according to the third embodiment. As shown in these figures, the culture vessel 10 of the third embodiment has a plurality of vessel bodies 11 connected via connecting portions 70.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 8, the connecting portion 70 connects the container bodies 11 to each other in the left-right direction (short-side direction). In the third embodiment, as shown in Fig. 9, a flange portion 11d is formed on the opening edge of the opening 11a of the container body 11, and the connecting portion 70 connects the container bodies 11 to each other via the flange portion 11d. Note that the connecting portion 70 may be directly connected from one of the pair of side wall portions 20 to the side wall portion 20 of the other container body 11. Such a connecting portion 70 can be molded integrally with the container body 11.

[0066] The connecting portion 70 may be configured to have a breakable weakened portion. As shown in FIG. 8, the weakened portion in this embodiment is made up of multiple thin columnar portions that connect the container bodies 11 together. This allows the connecting portion 70 to be broken and separated into individual container bodies 11. Note that, as the weakened portion, for example, when the flange portions 11d are connected to each other, perforations may be provided in the flange portions 11d to weaken their rigidity compared to other portions, or a portion of the flange portion 11d may be weakened by forming a portion, preferably in a straight or curved shape, that is thinner in width in the left-right direction or in thickness in the up-down direction than the other flange portions.

[0067] The lid 50 of the third embodiment is formed, for example, from a flexible film. This film (lid 50) is detachable from the flange 11d of the container body 11 by a sealing part 60 made of an adhesive. The lid 50 may be configured to be breathable. For example, if the lid 50 is an oxygen-permeable film, it is possible to promote the cultivation of the microorganisms when the microorganisms to be cultivated are aerobic microorganisms.

[0068] In this way, in the culture vessel 10 of the third embodiment, a plurality of vessel bodies 11 are connected via the connecting portions 70. With this configuration, even when multiple microorganism tests are performed simultaneously, the multiple tests can be performed in a consolidated manner, and the management and operation of the culture vessel 10 does not become complicated.

[0069] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the connecting portion 70 has a breakable weakened portion. With this configuration, the connected container bodies 11 can be individually separated for cultivation or testing according to the purpose, thereby improving operability.

[0070] In the third embodiment, the lid portion 50 is a film, and the sealing portion 60 is an adhesive that allows the film to be attached and detached. With this configuration, the lid portion 50 is a film, which makes it possible to easily open and close the opening 11a of the container body 11. Furthermore, interference between the lid portion 50 and the connecting portion 70 can be avoided, making it possible to easily position the lid portion 50.

[0071] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the lid portion 50 is breathable. Note that the lid portion 50 may also be breathable in the second embodiment and the fifth embodiment described below. For example, if the lid portion 50 is an oxygen-permeable film or the like, it is possible to promote the cultivation of the microorganisms when the microorganisms to be cultivated are aerobic microorganisms. The lid 50 does not have to be breathable. For example, when the microorganisms to be cultured are anaerobic microorganisms, it is possible to prevent the inflow of oxygen and the like from outside the culture vessel 10, thereby facilitating the culture of the anaerobic microorganisms.

[0072] [Fourth embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same or equivalent components as those in the above-described embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0073] 11 is a side view of the culture vessel 10 according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XII-XII shown in FIG. As shown in these figures, the culture vessel 10 of the fourth embodiment has a pair of side wall portions 20 each having a protrusion 80 that protrudes inward of the vessel body 11 .

[0074] 11, the protrusions 80 are recesses formed on the outer surfaces of the pair of side walls 20. A plurality of the protrusions 80 are formed at intervals in the vertical direction, and form the above-mentioned liquid volume scale 12. The protrusions 80 are arranged in a row in the vertical direction, passing through the center position of the membrane filter 100.

[0075] 12, the protrusions 80 become convex within the container body 11 and partially narrow the gap between the first opposing surfaces 21 of the pair of side wall portions 20. Note that the protrusions 80 provided on one of the pair of side wall portions 20 are aligned in the vertical direction with the protrusions 80 provided on the other side wall portion 20, but their vertical positions may be staggered.

[0076] As described above, in the culture vessel 10 of the fourth embodiment, the pair of side wall portions 20 are formed with protrusions 80 that protrude inward of the vessel body 11. According to this configuration, the protrusions 80 prevent the membrane filter 100 from sticking to the first opposing surfaces 21 of the pair of side wall portions 20, making it easier to supply the culture medium to the microorganisms supported on the surface of the membrane filter 100.

[0077] Fifth Embodiment Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same or equivalent components as those in the above-described embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0078] Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the culture vessel 10 according to the fifth embodiment. Fig. 14 is a side view of the vessel body 11 according to the fifth embodiment. Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrows XV-XV shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a plan view of the vessel body 11 according to the fifth embodiment. As shown in these figures, the culture vessel 10 of the fifth embodiment has a pair of side wall portions 20 each having an inverted cone-shaped bulge portion 90 that partially widens the opening 11a in the lateral direction.

[0079] The bulging portion 90 is a convex portion formed on the outer surface of the pair of side wall portions 20. The bulging portion 90 is formed from the upper ends of the pair of side wall portions 20 toward the lowermost end of the container body 11. The bulging portion 90 becomes a recess within the container body 11, and as shown in Fig. 16, forms an expanded diameter portion 11e that partially expands the central portion of the longitudinal direction of the opening 11a in the lateral direction.

[0080] The expanded diameter portion 11e has a circular shape in a plan view, and as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the opening area of ​​the expanded diameter portion 11e decreases toward the bottom end of the container body 11. The lid portion 50 is formed with a cylindrical housing portion 52b that houses the bulging portion 90, as shown in Figure 13.

[0081] As described above, in the culture vessel 10 of the fifth embodiment, the pair of sidewalls 20 are formed with inverted cone-shaped bulges 90 that partially widen the opening 11a in the lateral direction. With this configuration, even if the distance between the first opposing surfaces 21 of the pair of sidewalls 20 is narrow, a pipette, a dropper, or the like can be inserted into the vessel body 11 via the expanded diameter portion 11e formed by the bulge 90. After culturing, if the microorganisms leave the membrane filter 100 and float in the culture solution, they may settle due to gravity and accumulate in a concentrated state at the bottom of the vessel body 11. Even in this case, the tip of the pipette or dropper can be inserted all the way to the bottom of the vessel body 11 to collect the culture solution at the bottom of the vessel body 11. Furthermore, the expanded diameter portion 11e allows the pipette or dropper to collect the culture solution from any height position in the vessel body 11.

[0082] 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.

[0083] For example, the container body 11 and the lid 50 may be made of a material having a suitable flexibility, and concave and convex portions may be formed on the container body 11 and the lid 50 so that they fit together, and the sealing may be achieved by the fitting of the convex and concave portions. By adopting such a configuration, it is not necessary to use a material such as an adhesive different from the container body 11 and the lid 50, and it is possible to prevent leaching chemical substances from foreign substances such as adhesives from flowing into the culture solution.

[0084] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, a membrane filter 100 is used as an example of a sheet-like object, but the object is not limited to this configuration, and any object that can support and cultivate microorganisms, such as paper, a plate, a strip, a film, a sheet, or any other sheet-like object, may be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1. Nucleic Acid Analysis System 2 Microbial recovery system 3 Microbial culture system 4. Nucleic Acid Extraction System 5. Hybridization Reaction System 6. Detection System 10 Culture vessel 11 Container body 11a opening 11b Spout 11c bottom 11d Flange 11e Expanded diameter part 12 Liquid level scale 20 Side wall 21 First opposing surface 22 Second opposing surface 30 Front wall 31 Curved Surface 32 Slope 40 Rear wall 41 Curved Surface 42 Slope 50 Lid 51 Top wall 52 Peripheral wall section 52b Housing tube 60 Sealing part 70 Connection part 80 Protrusion 90 Bulge 100 Membrane Filters 200 samples

Claims

1. A container body has a slit-shaped opening, and is configured to accommodate a sheet-shaped object vertically from the opening, and is configured to perform culture with the opening in the slit-shaped opening facing upward. Culture container.

2. The container body includes a pair of side wall portions adjacent to each other in a short-side direction of the opening, The lower portions of the pair of side wall portions are curved in an arc shape. The culture vessel according to claim 1 .

3. The upper portions of the pair of side wall portions are formed in a rectangular shape that is continuous with the arc shape, and are formed to be longer in the vertical direction than the lower portions. The culture vessel according to claim 2 .

4. The distance between the opposing surfaces of the pair of side wall portions increases from the bottom of the container body toward the opening. The culture vessel according to claim 2 .

5. A sloped spout is formed in at least a portion of the opening. The culture vessel according to claim 1 .

6. A lid portion that covers at least a part of the opening portion when the opening portion is open in a slit shape. The culture vessel according to claim 1 .

7. The lid portion has breathability. The culture vessel according to claim 6 .

8. a sealing portion that seals the gap between the lid portion and the container body; The culture vessel according to claim 6 .

9. the lid portion is a film, The sealing portion is an adhesive that allows the film to be attached and detached. The culture vessel according to claim 8 .

10. A plurality of the container bodies are connected via connecting portions. The culture vessel according to claim 1 .

11. The connecting portion has a breakable weakened portion. The culture vessel according to claim 10.

12. The pair of side wall portions are formed with inverted cone-shaped bulges that partially widen the opening in the short direction. The culture vessel according to claim 2 .

13. The pair of side wall portions are formed with protrusions that protrude toward the inside of the container body. The culture vessel according to claim 2 .

14. A culture vessel according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is used to culture microorganisms. Microbial culture system.

15. A method for analyzing nucleic acids extracted from a microorganism, comprising the microbial culture system according to claim 14. Nucleic acid analysis system.

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