title: Continuous-flow thermal gradient PCR.
abstract: Continuous-flow thermal gradient PCR is a new DNA amplification technique that is characterized by periodic temperature ramping with no cyclic hold times. The device reported in this article represents the first demonstration of hold-less thermocycling within continuous-flow PCR microfluidics. This is also the first design in which continuous-flow PCR is performed within a single steady-state temperature zone. This allows for straightforward miniaturization of the channel footprint, shown in this device which has a cycle length of just 2.1 cm. With a linear thermal gradient established across the glass device, the heating and cooling ramp rates are dictated by the fluid velocity relative to the temperature gradient. Local channel orientation and cross-sectional area regulate this velocity. Thus, rapid thermocycling occurs while the PCR chip is maintained at steady state temperatures and flow rates. Glass PCR chips (25 x 75 x 2 mm) of both 30 and 40 serpentine cycles have been fabricated, and were used to amplify a variety of targets, including a 181-bp segment of a viral phage DNA (PhiX174) and a 108-bp segment of the Y-chromosome, amplified from human genomic DNA. With this unique combination of hold-less cycling and gradient temperature ramping, a 40-cycle PCR requires less than 9 min, with the resulting amplicon having high yield and specificity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
authors.forename: Niel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Crews
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wittwer
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gale
mesh_terms: D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006361:Heating / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity