Toyo Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha

Hitachi Maxell, Limited

Masahiro Kusumoto

Yoshiaki Nishiya

Yoshihisa Kawamura

Katsunori Ikeda

Masahiro Suzuki

Mikio Kishimoto

Kenji Kohno

Satoko Arai

The present invention provides composite particles which have magnetism and simultaneously emit fluorescence with a variety of wavelengths, and which are suitable for use in the fields of biology, biochemistry or the like. The composite particles of the present invention comprise ferromagnetic iron oxide particles, fluorescent pigment particles and silica, and have an average particle size of 1 to 10 &#x3bc;m, a coercive force of 2.39 to 11.94 kA/m (30 to 150 oersted), saturation magnetization of 0.5 to 40 A.m/kg (0.5 to 40 emu/g). The peak value of the wavelength of fluorescence from the composite particle is in the range of 350 to 750 nm, when the composite particle is excited by light with a wavelength of 250 to 600 nm.

Composite particles comprising ferromagnetic particle, fluorescent pigment and a silica coating

A method for purifying nucleic acids or proteins comprising a plurality of piston pumps; and a plurality of nozzles capable of having a plurality of disposable tips which are automatically attachable/detachable. The apparatus includes a mechanism for mixing a liquid mixture of each sample and a reagent in a plurality of sections of a container by sucking up a plurality of the mixtures into tips, followed by discharging the mixtures in the sections simultaneously. The apparatus also includes a mechanism for dispensing a desired amount of a reagent to be used subsequently into the same number of sections of a different container as samples, while the mixing is in progress.

Apparatus for purifying nucleic acids and proteins

The present invention provides an apparatus for purifying nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA or proteins such as enzymes and antibodies from microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria or animal and plant tissues, the apparatus being capable of fast processing of a plurality of samples. More specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus for purifying nucleic acids or proteins using magnetically attractable particles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of piston pumps; a plurality of nozzles capable of having a plurality of disposable tips which are automatically attachable/detachable; and a mechanism which is capable of dispensing a desired amount of a reagent to be used subsequently in the next step into the same number of sections as that of the samples with high accuracy and at a high rate, while a mixture of a sample and a reagent are being mixed (stirred) by the pumps and nozzles, the apparatus being capable of rapidly processing a plurality of samples, wherein a series of steps from mixing (stirring) of the magnetically attractable particles and concentration of the sample to purification is automated with reduced wastes.

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Tsuruga, Japan

Masahiro Kusumoto