Biolab Chip Captures, Purifies, and Replicates DNA

Researchers have developed a miniaturized DNA-based biologic test system embedded on a silicon chip that captures, purifies, and replicates DNA. The system was presented at the American Society for Microbiology's Conference on Bio- Micro- Nanosystems in New York (NY, USA).

One area of the chip captures the DNA from a sample and purifies it. A second area serves as a reaction chamber where polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is performed to rapidly replicate the DNA segment, which can then be tested. The researchers are working on another step in the process based on fluorescence technology, whereby an added dye would glow green to indicate a positive sample. The chip itself, only 2 cm x 4 cm, fits into a slightly larger device that handles the cycling of the temperature required for PCR. Once fluorescence is incorporated, the final device will be about the size of a shoe box.

"Other people have developed real-time PCR on silicon chips, but nobody has really done the purification of the DNA sample on the same chip,” said Nathan Cady, a member of the research team from Cornell University (Ithaca, NY, USA; www.cornell.edu). "As near as we can tell, we are one of the first groups to incorporate the purification step into the chip.”

Putting these functions on a chip simplifies the process so that no training is required to perform them. Another advantage of the system is that it can detect a very broad range of organisms, which makes it useful for a variety of purposes, from monitoring food and water supplies to detecting agents of biologic warfare.




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