System for automated performance of the polymerase chain reaction

US5656493A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• PerkinElmer, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Kary B. Mullis · Village of La Jolla, US
• Larry J. Johnson · Sachse, US
• Richard Leath · Corona, US
• Timothy J. Wennberg · San Francisco, US
• Louis M. Mezei · Fitchburg, US
• Joseph T. Widunas · Berkeley, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 18, 1994
• Grant date: Aug 12, 1997
• Expiry date: Feb 18, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C40B60/14
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

There is disclosed herein a machine for performing nucleic acid amplification under computer control. The machine utilizes any one of a number of heating and cooling systems under control of a host computer which directs the heating and cooling systems to heat and cool a reaction-chamber-containing heat exchanger at appropriate times in the process. The reaction chambers are pre-loaded with the nucleic acid(s) to be amplified, a thermostable enzyme to catalyze polymerization, specific oligonucleotide primers, and four different nucleotide triphosphates. Also disclosed is the process for the amplification chain reaction implemented by the machine, which utilizes a thermostable enzyme.