Microfabricated Structures for Integrated DNA Analysis

Photolithographic micromachining of silicon is a candidate technology for the construction of high-throughput DNA analysis devices. However, the development of complex silicon microfabricated systems has been hindered in part by the lack of a simple, versatile pumping method for integrating individu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1996-05, Vol.93 (11), p.5556-5561
Main Authors: Burns, Mark A., Mastrangelo, Carlos H., Sammarco, Timothy S., Man, Francis P., Webster, James R., Johnson, Brian N., Foerster, Bradley, Jones, Darren, Fields, Yakeitha, Kaiser, Adam R., Burke, David T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Automation - instrumentation
Automation - methods
Base Sequence
Capillary Action
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
DNA - analysis
DNA - genetics
DNA Primers
Electrophoresis
Enzymes
Gels
Genetics
Glass
Heaters
Models, Genetic
Molecular Sequence Data
Narrative devices
Polymerase Chain Reaction - instrumentation
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
Pumps
Restriction Mapping
Semiconductor wafers
Silicon
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Summary:Photolithographic micromachining of silicon is a candidate technology for the construction of high-throughput DNA analysis devices. However, the development of complex silicon microfabricated systems has been hindered in part by the lack of a simple, versatile pumping method for integrating individual components. Here we describe a surface-tension-based pump able to move discrete nanoliter drops through enclosed channels using only local heating. This thermocapillary pump can accurately mix, measure, and divide drops by simple electronic control. In addition, we have constructed thermal-cycling chambers, gel electrophoresis channels, and radiolabeled DNA detectors that are compatible with the fabrication of thermocapillary pump channels. Since all of the components are made by conventional photolithographic techniques, they can be assembled into more complex integrated systems. The combination of pump and components into self-contained miniaturized devices may provide significant improvements in DNA analysis speed, portability, and cost. The potential of microfabricated systems lies in the low unit cost of silicon-based construction and in the efficient sample handling afforded by component integration.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.93.11.5556