Illumina Corporation

Gen-probe, Inc.

Steven Scott Phelps

Bradley Kent Drews

Stephen Wayne Clark

Umberto Ulmanella

Michael Adalbert Niziolek

Michael Dai Wang

Johanna Lynn Whitacre

Michelle L Alvarez

Debra Sue Bryan

Joshua Augustin Darland

Norman C Nelson

Lyle J Arnold, Jr

Jijumon Chelliserry

Lizhong Dai

James Michael Osmus

Debra Sue Bryan Ii

Improved methods for use in nucleic acid amplification, including multiplex amplification, where the amplification is carried out in two or more distinct phases are disclosed. The first phase amplification reaction preferably lacks one or more components required for exponential amplification. The lacking component is subsequently provided in a second, third or further phase(s) of amplification, resulting in a rapid exponential amplification reaction. The multiphase protocol results in faster and more sensitive detection and lower variability at low analyte concentrations. Compositions for carrying out the claimed methods are also disclosed.

Multiphase nucleic acid amplification

An analysis instrument may perform analytical operations on an analyte that is combined with multiple reagents prior to being introduced into a flow cell. The instrument may include a nozzle sipper that aspirates reagents from a recipient, along with an analyte. The reagents may be directed to a volume and may be repeatedly moved into and out of the volume by cycling of a pump. The reagents may be ejected into a destination recipient with the nozzle sipper promoting vorticity in the recipient to enhance mixing. The repeated aspiration and ejection through the nozzle sipper effectively mixes the reagents and the template in an automated or semi-automated fashion.

Reagent nozzle sipper mixing system and method

A method includes, under control of control circuitry implementing a mixing protocol, aspirating reagents from multiple different reagent reservoirs into a cache channel. Designated amounts of the reagents are automatically aspirated from the corresponding reagent reservoirs by corresponding sippers based on the mixing protocol implemented by the control circuitry. The method also includes discharging the reagents from the cache channel into a mixing reservoir, and mixing the reagents within the mixing reservoir to form a reagent mixture.

Reagent mixing system and methods

An analysis system may perform operations on an analyte that may be combined with multiple regents prior to being introduced into a flow cell. The instrument may include a volume into which the reagents to be combined with the analyte are aspirated one-by-one. The volume may be formed as a serpentine channel in a valve manifold associated with sippers for aspirating the reagents. The reagents may then be mixed by cycling a pump to move the reagents within the mixing volume or channel. For this, the reagents may be aspirated from a recipient into the volume or channel, ejected back into the recipient, and this process may be performed repeatedly to enhance mixing.

Reagent channel mixing system and method

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Steven Scott Phelps