US 11,939,570 B2
Microfluidic lab-on-a-chip for gene synthesis
Tim Rausch, Farmington, MN (US); Walter R Eppler, Cranberry Township, PA (US); and Gemma Mendonsa, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Assigned to SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/857,006.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/889,400, filed on Aug. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0054364 A1, Feb. 25, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C12N 15/10 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); C40B 60/14 (2006.01); G06F 12/02 (2006.01); G11C 13/02 (2006.01); G16B 50/30 (2019.01)
CPC C12N 15/1031 (2013.01) [B01L 3/5027 (2013.01); C12N 15/1065 (2013.01); C12N 15/1093 (2013.01); C40B 60/14 (2013.01); G06F 12/02 (2013.01); G11C 13/02 (2013.01); G16B 50/30 (2019.02)] 10 Claims
 
1. A microfluidic lab-on-a-chip for a DNA gene system, comprising:
a hydrophobic fluidic platform comprising a plurality of array elements, each array element independently operably connected to a voltage source and a controller for the voltage source;
a set of first inlets operably connecting a set of first wells to the fluidic platform;
a set of second inlets operably connecting a set of second wells to the fluidic platform, with a number of second wells and second inlets less than a number of first wells and first inlets;
a DNA symbol library comprising a number of DNA symbols each comprising nucleotide pairs, with each first well containing therein one DNA symbol;
a DNA linker library comprising pairs of DNA linkers each comprising nucleotides, a first linker of a pair having a first overhanging end and a second linker of the pair having a first overhanging end, the first overhanging end of the first linker being the same nucleotide for each first linker, with each second well containing one DNA linker, wherein the first linker of a pair is adapted to join to the first overhanging end of a DNA symbol;
the voltage source configured to move DNA symbols from the first inlets and to move DNA linkers from the second inlets and combine a DNA symbol with two DNA linkers on the fluidic platform to form an oligo;
a mixing area operably connected to the fluidic platform to receive the oligos formed by DNA symbols and two DNA linkers; and
a PCR station operably connected to the fluidic platform and to the plurality of first inlets and the plurality of second inlets, the PCR station comprising PCR chemicals for synthesizing the DNA symbols and the DNA linkers.