Microfluidic transducer

Abstract

Provided herein are apparatuses and methods for fragmenting nucleic acids or disrupting cells. For example, some embodiments provide a disposable microfluidic device designed to position a sample to be in direct contact with a high frequency vibrating element that emits an ultrasonic frequency into the sample such that the vibrational energy transduced into the sample results in fragmenting nucleic acids or disrupting cells.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for processing a sample comprising a disposable high frequency vibrating element, wherein the sample is in direct contact with the disposable high frequency vibrating element. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises nucleic acid. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises cells. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid is DNA. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the apparatus fragments the nucleic acid. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the apparatus produces nucleic acid fragments of approximately 2000 bases or base pairs. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the apparatus disrupts or lyses cells. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the disposable high frequency vibrating element produces frequencies of 1-1000 MHz. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sample chamber, a sample inlet connected to the sample chamber, and a sample outlet connected to the sample chamber, wherein the sample is introduced into the sample chamber via the sample inlet chamber, the sample chamber is designed to position the sample in direct contact with the disposable high frequency vibrating element, and the sample can be removed from the sample chamber via the sample outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sealed microfluidic card, wherein the disposable apparatus is integrated into the sealed microfluidic card. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , adapted to interface with a microfluidic system. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , adapted to interface with an external energy source, wherein the external energy source provides energy to the disposable high frequency vibrating element. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus causes cavitation in the sample. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the sample chamber has a volume of approximately 200 microliters. 
     
     
         15 . A method for fragmenting nucleic acids comprising:
 a) positioning a sample comprising a nucleic acid in direct contact with the disposable high frequency vibrating element of the apparatus of  claim 1 ;   b) transducing energy from the disposable high frequency vibrating element into the sample.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the transducing step is tuned to produce a collection of nucleic acid fragments having a distribution of lengths centered on approximately 2000 bases or base pairs. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the collection of nucleic acid fragments comprises an unbiased set of fragments. 
     
     
         18 . A system for fragmenting a nucleic acid sample comprising a first component that produces an ultrasonic frequency capable of fragmenting DNA, a second component that holds the sample in direct contact with the first component, and a third component that transduces the ultrasonic frequency into the sample.