title: Microfluidic device for rapid (<15 min) automated microarray hybridization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current hybridization protocols on microarrays are slow and need skilled personnel. Microfluidics is an emerging science that enables the processing of minute volumes of liquids to perform chemical, biochemical, or enzymatic analyzes. The merging of microfluidics and microarray technologies constitutes an elegant solution that will automate and speed up microarray hybridization.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a microfluidic flow cell consisting of a network of chambers and channels molded into a polydimethylsiloxane substrate. The substrate was aligned and reversibly bound to the microarray printed on a standard glass slide to form a functional microfluidic unit. The microfluidic units were placed on an engraved, disc-shaped support fixed on a rotational device. Centrifugal forces drove the sample and buffers directly onto the microarray surface.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This microfluidic system increased the hybridization signal by approximately 10fold compared with a passive system that made use of 10 times more sample. By means of a 15-min automated hybridization process, performed at room temperature, we demonstrated the discrimination of 4 clinically relevant Staphylococcus species that differ by as little as a single-nucleotide polymorphism. This process included hybridization, washing, rinsing, and drying steps and did not require any purification of target nucleic acids. This platform was sensitive enough to detect 10 PCR-amplified bacterial genomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This removable microfluidic system for performing microarray hybridization on glass slides is promising for molecular diagnostics and gene profiling.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec (Pavillon CHUL), Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Régis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peytavi
authors.forename: Frédéric R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gagné
authors.forename: François J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: Guangyao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zoval
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madou
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boissinot
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boissinot
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bissonnette
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ouellette
authors.forename: Michel G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bergeron
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D004247:DNA