Magnetic System for Automated Manipulation of Paramagnetic Particles

The simple, rapid magnetic manipulation of paramagnetic particles (PMPs) paired with the wide range of available surface chemistries has strongly positioned PMPs in the field of analyte isolation. One recent technology, sliding lid for immobilized droplet extractions (SLIDE), presents a simple, rapid alternative to traditional PMP isolation protocols. Rather than remove fluid from PMP-bound analyte, SLIDE directly removes the PMPs from the fluid. SLIDE collects the PMPs on a hydrophobic, removable surface, which allows PMPs to be captured from one well and then transferred and released into a second well. Despite several key advantages, SLIDE remains limited by its passive magnetic manipulation that only allows for a one-time capture-and-release of PMPs, preventing wash steps and limiting purity. Furthermore, the strategy employed by SLIDE constrains the position of the wells, thereby limiting throughput and integration into automated systems. Here, we introduce a new, mechanically and operationally simplistic magnetic manipulation system for integration with the SLIDE technology to overcome the previously stated limitations. This magnetic system is compatible with nearly any plate design, can be integrated into automated workflows, enables high-throughput formats, simplifies mechanical requirements, and is amenable to a range of analytes. Using this magnetic system, PMPs can be collected, released, and resuspended throughout multiple wells regardless of proximity. We demonstrate this system's capabilities to isolate whole cells, mRNA, and DNA, demonstrating up to a 28-fold improvement of purity via the multiwash protocols enabled by this magnetic technology.