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Microfluidic Reactor Array Device for Massively Parallel In-situ Synthesis of Oligonucleotides
Onnop Srivannavit1, Mayurachat Gulari, Zhishan Hua
1Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Sensors and Actuators. B, Chemical
|February 18, 2010
Summary
We developed a microfluidic reactor array for synthesizing oligonucleotides (oDNA) in parallel. This device enables efficient, high-yield oDNA synthesis for genomics and proteomics research.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microfluidics
- Synthetic Biology
Background:
- Oligonucleotide (oDNA) synthesis is crucial for genomics and proteomics.
- Existing methods face challenges in parallelization and reagent control.
- Need for advanced platforms for high-throughput oDNA synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and fabricate a microfluidic reactor array device.
- To enable massively parallel, in-situ synthesis of oligonucleotides (oDNA).
- To address challenges in reagent diffusion and uniform flow in microreactors.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a glass-silicon microfluidic device with microreactors and microchannels.
- Implementation of a dynamic isolation mechanism to prevent reagent intermixing.
- Demonstration using solution-based, light-directed parallel in-situ oDNA synthesis.
Main Results:
- Successful synthesis of long oDNA (up to 120 mers) with a high stepwise yield (98%).
- Achieved uniform flow and synthesis across thousands of parallel reactors.
- Characterized microarray quality, including sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.
Conclusions:
- The microfluidic reactor array offers a robust platform for parallel oDNA synthesis.
- The dynamic isolation mechanism effectively prevents reagent diffusion.
- This technology holds significant potential for advancing genomics and proteomics research.
