title: Two-dimensional micro-bubble actuator array to enhance the efficiency of molecular beacon based DNA micro-biosensors.
abstract: Two-dimensional micro-bubble actuator arrays were developed and studied in detail to enhance the hybridization kinetics of a DNA micro-biosensor. The hybridization between a molecular beacon, a kind of oligonucleotide probe, and its complement was investigated in a millimeter-sized PDMS based reaction chamber, where various 2D micro-heater arrays were distributed on the bottom for micro-bubble generation. The hybridization assay without the micro-bubble actuation revealed that the fluorescence increased fast at the beginning and slowed down after that. However, a uniform fluorescence increase was observed when periodic micro-bubble agitation was introduced in the static hybridization solution. A comparison of hybridization assays with and without micro-bubble agitation revealed that the hybridization time could be effectively shortened by 33% with 10 cycles of micro-bubble agitation from a 2 x 1 bubble actuator array, and by 43% with 10 cycles of micro-bubble agitation from a 2 x 2 bubble actuator array.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon.
authors.forename: Peigang
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yi-Kuen
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D045423:Microbubbles; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity