Nanoliter-scale sample preparation methods directly coupled to polymethylmethacrylate-based microchips and gel-filled capillaries for the analysis of oligonucleotides

We are currently developing miniaturized, chip-based electrophoresis devices fabricated in plastics for the high-speed separation of oligonucleotides. One of the principal advantages associated with these devices is their small sample requirements, typically in the nanoliter to sub-nanoliter range. Unfortunately, most standard sample preparation protocols, especially for oligonucleotides, are done off-chip on a microliter-scale. Our work has focused on the development of capillary nanoreactors coupled to micro-separation platforms, such as micro-electrophoresis chips, for the preparation of sequencing ladders and also polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). These nanoreactors consist of fused-silica capillary tubes (10–20 cm×20–50 μm I.D.) with fluid pumping accomplished using the electroosmotic flow generated by the tubes. These reactors were situated in fast thermal cyclers to perform cycle sequencing or PCR amplification of the DNAs. The reactors could be interfaced to either a micro-electrophoresis chips via capillary connectors micromachined in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) using deep X-ray etching (width 50 μm; depth 50 μm) or conventional capillary gel tubes using zero-dead volume glass unions. For our chips, they also contained an injector, separation channel (length 6 cm; width 30 μm; depth 50 μm) and a dual fiber optic, near-infrared fluorescence detector. The sequencing nanoreactor used surface immobilized templates attached to the wall via a biotin–streptavidin–biotin linkage. Sequencing tracks could be directly injected into gel-filled capillary tubes with minimal degradation in the efficiency of the separation process. The nanoreactor could also be configured to perform PCR reactions by filling the capillary tube with the PCR reagents and template. After thermal cycling, the PCR cocktail could be pooled from multiple reactors and loaded onto a slab gel or injected into a capillary tube or microchip device for fractionation.