Particulate Lysing Beads for Cell Disruption and DNA Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for extracting biological materials, such as DNA, from cells often rely on harsh reagents that degrade the products and require extensive wash steps, limiting efficiency and utility.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using particulate lysing materials, like ceramic or glass beads, that mechanically lyse cells within a chamber with controlled chemical composition and flow, allowing for simultaneous lysis, capture, and elution without harsh reagents, and enabling efficient processing and heating of samples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If harsh reagents (chaotropic salts, proteases) are used to lyse cells and capture DNA, then cell lysis efficiency is improved, but the biological material is degraded and extensive wash steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical lysis methods (using harsh reagents like chaotropic salts and proteases) with a mechanical lysis approach using particulate materials (beads) that physically disrupt cell membranes through agitation. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for harsh chemicals that degrade biological materials while maintaining effective cell lysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces particulate materials (beads) as an intermediary medium that facilitates cell lysis and DNA capture without directly contacting and degrading the biological material. These beads act as a mediator between the mechanical agitation force and the cell structure, enabling efficient lysis while protecting the integrity of released DNA.
2Productivity
If harsh reagents are used for cell lysis and DNA capture, then lysis efficiency is improved, but the process complexity increases due to required wash steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (cell lysis, DNA capture, and wash-free purification) into a single integrated process using particulate materials. The beads simultaneously perform mechanical disruption of cells and selective binding of DNA, eliminating the need for separate wash steps to remove harsh reagents, thereby simplifying the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful wash steps from the traditional DNA extraction process. By using particulate materials that enable direct capture of DNA from lysed cells without harsh chemical reagents, the method removes the necessity for extensive washing procedures, reducing process complexity.
3Ease of operation
If chemical lysis approaches are used, then cell disruption is achieved, but the resulting product quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes chemical cell disruption methods with a mechanical approach using agitated particulate materials. This replacement maintains effective cell lysis capability while preserving the quality and integrity of the released biological materials, avoiding chemical degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable particulate materials (beads) that can be used for mechanical lysis and then discarded or regenerated. These short-living objects perform the cell disruption function effectively without contaminating or degrading the biological material, ensuring consistent product quality.
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
This approach reduces processing time, increases material yield, and eliminates the need for wash steps, providing a more efficient and suitable product for subsequent analysis.
Implementation Method 1
agitating the specimen in the chamber along with a medium that includes a particulate lysing material and a fluid, to mechanically lyse the specimen
Implementation Method 2
the particulate lysing material having an affinity for the biological material in the presence of the fluid, the affinity being sufficient to bind at least some of the biological material to at least some of the particulate lysing material
Data Source
AI summary
Lysing may include agitating a specimen in a chamber along with a medium that includes a particulate lysing material that has an affinity for a biological material. Lysing material may include beads or other material which may be coated that facilitates binding. The medium may include a fluid with a high salt or low pH level. The biological material may be eluted by lowering a concentration of salt or increasing a pH level. Lysing materials with two or more different affinities may be employed. Heating may be used. Lysing may be performed in a flow through apparatus.