Abstract
A self-contained polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platform with miniaturized power-system is introduced. It is powered by portable lithium batteries and integrated continuous-flow PCR amplification platform. Generally speaking, traditional commercial thermal cyclers rely on external electric supply and thus they are too big in instrument size. This prevents real-timely and field testing during PCR diagnosis. The authors are introducing a continuous-flow 3D spiral microreactor for DNA amplifications and high-resolution multiplexed targets’ detection by utilizing the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing-polymer to fabricate the microreactor for the first time. The whole setup (that can all be placed in one hand) includes (a) the thermo-cycled control (5.5 cm width, 10 cm length and 11 cm height), (b) the passive continuous-flow control, and (c) the trapezoidal PCR microreactor. The PCR platform can work for 4.5 h continuously. With minimal accessories and operations, the total cost of the self-contained PCR machinery is <20 $, much lower than the mainstream of commercial PCR machinery. By waiving external electric supply, this miniaturized PCR platform is applied to amplify the typical DNA fragments of plasma isolated hepatitis B virus (HBV), influenza virus (H7N9avian influenza) bacterium (Escherichia coli) plasmid and multiplexed targets. The efficiency of the method is 70% of that of commercial thermal cycler (CFX Connect, Bio Rad). The DNA of H7N9avian influenza can be detected in concentrations as low as 103 copies per μL.
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Shi, B., He, G. & Wu, W. A PCR microreactor machinery with passive micropump and battery-powered heater for thermo-cycled amplifications of clinical-level and multiplexed DNA targets. Microchim Acta 185, 467 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-018-3007-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-018-3007-z