Thermal cycler and control method of thermal cycler

Abstract

An attachment unit for attachment of a reaction container including a channel filled with a reaction solution and a liquid having a specific gravity different from that of the reaction solution and being immiscible with the reaction solution, the reaction solution moving close to opposed inner walls, a first heating unit that heats a first region of the channel and a second heating unit that heats a second region of the channel when the reaction container is attached to the attachment unit, a drive mechanism that switches arrangement of the attachment unit, the first heating unit, and the second heating unit between a first arrangement and a second arrangement in which a lowermost position of the channel is located within a first region and a second region, respectively, and a control unit that controls the drive mechanism, the first heating unit, and the second heating unit are provided.

1 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction comprising:
 a holder configured to hold a removable reaction container filled with target DNA, hot start PCR enzyme, primer, a first liquid and a second liquid having a smaller specific gravity than the first liquid and being immiscible with the first liquid, the removable reaction container including a channel configured to move a reaction mixture which includes the target DNA, the hot start PCR enzyme, the primer and the first liquid;   a first heating unit configured to heat a first region of the channel;   a second heating unit configured to heat a second region of the channel different from the first region; and   a driving unit configured to rotate the holder, the first heating unit and the second heating unit about a rotational axis between a first arrangement in which a lowermost position of the channel is located within the first region and a second arrangement in which the lowermost position of the channel is located within the second region.   
     
     
         6 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 5 .
 wherein the driving unit keeps the first arrangement for a first period of time, and keeps the second arrangement for a second period of time.   
     
     
         7 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the first heating unit heats the first region to a first temperature, and the second heating unit heats the second region to a second temperature wich is higher than the first temperature.   
     
     
         8 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the driving unit rotates the holder, the first heating unit and the second heating unit in the second arrangement to the first arrangement when the second period time is elapsed in the second arrangement.   
     
     
         9 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the second period of time includes a thermal denaturation time which thermal denatures the target DNA.   
     
     
         10 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the second period of time includes a activation time which activates the hot start PCR enzyme.   
     
     
         11 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the first period of time includes an annealing time.   
     
     
         12 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the first period of time includes an elongation time.   
     
     
         13 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the first heating unit heats the first region to a third temperature which is lower than the first temperature, and   wherein the driving unit keeps the first arrangement for a third period of time when the first heating unit heats the first region to the third temperature, and rotates the holder, the first heating unit and the second heating unit in the first arrangement to the second arrangement when the third period of time is elapsed in the first arrangement.   
     
     
         14 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the third period of time includes a reverse transcription reaction time.   
     
     
         15 . The thermal cycler for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a measurement unit configured to measure an intensity of light,   wherein the removable reaction container filled with a fluorescent probe, and   wherein the measurement unit measure the intensity of light from the first region when the holder, the first heating unit and the second heating unit is arranged in the first arrangement.   
     
     
         16 . A thermal cycle method for conducting a polymerase chain reaction comprising:
 placing in a holder a removable reaction container filled with target DNA, hot start PCR enzyme, primer, a first liquid and a second liquid having a smaller specific gravity than the first liquid and being immiscible with the first liquid, the removable reaction container including a channel configured to move a reaction mixture which includes the target DNA, the hot start PCR enzyme, the primer and the first liquid;   heating a first region of the channel;   heating a second region of the channel different from the first region;   heating the first portion of the channel; and   rotating the holder about a rotational axis between a first arrangement in which a lowermost position of the channel is located within the first region and a second arrangement in which the lowermost position of the channel is located within the second region   
     
     
         17 . The thermal cycle method for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein keeping the first arrangement for a first period of time, and keeping the second arrangement for a second period of time.   
     
     
         18 . The thermal cycle method for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein heating the first region to a first temperature, and heating the second region to a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature.   
     
     
         19 . The thermal cycle method for conducting a polymerase chain reaction according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein rotating the holder in the second arrangement to the first arrangement when the second period time is elapsed in the second arrangement.