Device for conducting biochemical or chemical reactions

Abstract

Methods and devices for conducting chemical or biochemical reactions that require multiple reaction temperatures are described. The methods involve moving one or more reaction droplets or reaction volumes through various reaction zones having different temperatures on a microfluidics apparatus. The devices comprise a microfluidics apparatus comprising appropriate actuators capable of moving reaction droplets or reaction volumes through the various reaction zones.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 (a) an electrowetting path comprising a first electrowetting electrode and a second electrowetting electrode, wherein each electrode is to transport a reaction droplet;   (b) a first heating element disposed adjacent the first electrowetting electrode to provide a first reaction zone at a first temperature; and   (c) a second heating element disposed adjacent the second electrowetting electrode to provide a second reaction zone at a second temperature, wherein the first and second temperatures are different.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a reaction droplet comprising a nucleic acid and an amplification reagent. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a filler fluid surrounding the reaction droplet. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the filler fluid comprises silicone oil. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second temperatures are suitable for amplifying nucleic acids. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is a constant temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second heating elements comprises a resistive heating mechanism, an inductive heating mechanism or an infrared heating mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a first substrate and a second substrate separated to form a gap. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the first electrowetting electrode is on a same side of the gap as the second electrowetting electrode. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrowetting path is part of a set of parallel electrowetting paths. 
     
     
         11 . A device comprising:
 (a) an electrowetting array comprising a plurality of electrowetting electrodes forming at least one reaction path; and   (b) at least two reaction zones, each reaction zone to maintain a temperature different from the other reaction zones,   (c) wherein the at least one reaction path travels through the at least two reaction zones, and the electrowetting array is to move a reaction droplet through a filler fluid.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electrowetting electrodes is to move the reaction droplet through each of the at least two reaction zones. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the least two reaction zones are to be kept at a constant temperature by a resistive heating mechanism, an inductive heating mechanism or an infrared heating mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a first substrate and a second substrate separated to form a gap. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the electrowetting electrodes are on a same side of the gap. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the filler fluid comprises silicone oil. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the electrowetting array comprises a multitude of parallel electrowetting paths. 
     
     
         18 . A device comprising:
 (d) a microfluidics apparatus comprising a plurality of reaction paths and at least one detection zone;   (e) an array of electrowetting electrodes to transport a reaction droplet through a silicone filler fluid along a reaction path; and   (f) at least two reaction zones, each reaction zone to maintain a constant temperature different from the other reaction zones, wherein each of the plurality of reaction paths travels through the at least two reaction zones, and wherein at least one of the reaction paths is fluidly connected to the at least one detection zone.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one detection zone comprises a fluorescence detector. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the array of electrowetting electrodes is along the reaction path.