Nucleic Acid Shearing Syringe With Narrowing Body for Consistent Fragmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional devices for nucleic acid fragmentation through hydrodynamic shearing are limited in the range of achievable fragment sizes and lack efficiency, reproducibility, and consistency, particularly in long-read sequencing applications.
Innovation Solution
A syringe with a narrowing body and through hole configuration that minimizes dead space and air bubbles, allowing for a broader range of nucleic acid fragment sizes (2 kb to 150 kb) with improved accuracy, reproducibility, and consistency, using solid materials for the narrowing body to maintain a constant flow cross-section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional syringes with cannula hubs are used for hydrodynamic shearing, then the device structure is simple, but the fragment size range is limited (3 kb to 70 kb) and the shearing consistency is poor due to air bubbles and dead space
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe is divided into functionally distinct segments: a narrowing body with a precisely controlled through-hole for consistent shearing, a cannula hub for liquid handling, and a syringe body for fluid storage. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, enabling broader fragment size ranges while maintaining structural manageability
Solution Approach 2:
The narrowing body acts as an intermediary element between the syringe body and cannula hub. It provides a controlled flow path through its through-hole, mediating the liquid flow to eliminate dead space and air bubbles while maintaining a constant flow cross-section, thereby improving shearing consistency without requiring complete redesign of the entire syringe system
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional syringes are used for nucleic acid fragmentation, then the device is easy to manufacture, but the shearing accuracy and reproducibility are insufficient due to variable flow cross-sections and air bubbles
Solution Approach 1:
The narrowing body introduces a localized region of precisely controlled geometry with a constant flow cross-section. This local quality improvement in the flow path ensures consistent hydrodynamic shearing conditions, producing narrow fragment length distributions centered around the target size, while the rest of the syringe can be manufactured using conventional methods
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the flow parameters by providing a constant flow cross-section through the narrowing body's through-hole. This parameter control eliminates the variable flow conditions in conventional syringes, improving shearing accuracy and reproducibility. The through-hole dimensions can be adjusted to achieve different target fragment sizes
3Productivity
If conventional syringes with dead space are used, then the device is simple in structure, but the shearing efficiency is reduced and the fragment size consistency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The narrowing body design extracts and eliminates the dead space problem inherent in conventional syringe-cannula connections. By providing a through-hole that fluidly couples the syringe body and cannula without creating dead zones, the design removes the source of air bubbles and flow variability, improving shearing efficiency and fragment consistency
Solution Approach 2:
The narrowing body is pre-configured with a specific through-hole geometry that ensures proper flow conditions before the shearing process begins. This preliminary structuring of the flow path prevents air bubble formation and ensures consistent flow from the start, eliminating the need for additional priming or air removal steps
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The syringe achieves a more efficient and consistent fragmentation process with a narrower distribution of fragment lengths centered around the target size, reducing variability and enhancing shearing outcomes across multiple samples and shearing processes.
Implementation Method 1
shearing forces may be applied to mechanically fragment DNA or RNA to a desired fragment size, such as by means of hydrodynamic shearing applications
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(c)
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to syringe (1) for fragmenting nucleic acid sample material in liquid, the syringe (1) comprising a syringe body (2) extending at least in part in a longitudinal direction (L) of the syringe, a syringe plunger (4) moveable in the longitudinal direction (L) between a pulled-state, in which the plunger (4) is at least partially pulled out of the body (2) for receipt of liquid in the body (2), and a pushed-state in which the plunger (4) is at least partially received in the body (2) and liquid is pushed out of the body (2), and a cannula hub (6) comprising a cannula (7) for repeated withdrawal and discharge of liquid, based on repeated movement of the syringe plunger (4) between the pulled-state and the pushed-state, respectively, and an integrally or separately formed narrowing body (5) comprising a through hole (5a) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and fluidly coupling the syringe body (2) and the cannula (7), and defining a cross-section of the flow of liquid at least in parts between the syringe body (2) and the cannula (7).