Programmable and automated bead-based microfluidics for versatile DNA microarrays under isothermal conditions

Abstract

Advances in modern genomic research depend heavily on applications of various devices for automated high- or ultra-throughput arrays. Micro- and nanofluidics offer possibilities for miniaturization and integration of many different arrays onto a single device. Therefore, such devices are becoming a platform of choice for developing analytical instruments for modern biotechnology. This paper presents an implementation of a bead-based microfluidic platform for fully automated and programmable DNA microarrays. The devices are designed to work under isothermal conditions as DNA immobilization and hybridization transfer are performed under steady temperature using reversible pH alterations of reaction solutions. This offers the possibility for integration of more selection modules onto a single chip compared to maintaining a temperature gradient. This novel technology allows integration of many modules on a single reusable chip reducing the application cost. The method takes advantage of demonstrated high-speed DNA hybridization kinetics and denaturation on beads under flow conditions, high-fidelity of DNA hybridization, and small sample volumes are needed. The microfluidic devices are applied for a single nucleotide polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing by synthesis without the need for fluorescent removal step. Apart from that, the microfluidic platform presented is applicable to many areas of modern biotechnology, including biosensor devices, DNA hybridization microarrays, molecular computation, on-chip nucleic acid selection, high-throughput screening of chemical libraries for drug discovery.