Ultra fast miniaturized real-time PCR: 40 cycles in less than six minutes.
We have designed, fabricated and tested a real-time PCR chip capable of conducting one thermal cycle in 8.5 s. This corresponds to 40 cycles of PCR in 5 min and 40 s. The PCR system was made of silicon micromachined into the shape of a cantilever terminated with a disc. The thin film heater and a temperature sensor were placed on the disc perimeter. Due to the system's thermal constant of 0.27 s, we have achieved a heating rate of 175 degrees C s(-1) and a cooling rate of -125 degrees C s(-1). A PCR sample encapsulated with mineral oil was dispensed onto a glass cover slip placed on the silicon disc. The PCR cycle time was then determined by heat transfer through the glass, which took only 0.5 s. A real-time PCR sample with a volume of 100 nl was tested using a FAM probe. As the single PCR device occupied an area of only a few square millimeters, devices could be combined into a parallel system to increase throughput.
Neuzil
Pavel
P
Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, #04-01, Singapore 138669.
Zhang
Chunyan
C
Pipper
Juergen
J
Oh
Sharon
S
Zhuo
Lang
L
D000818:Animals; D051379:Mice; D008904:Miniaturization; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D012825:Silicon