微芯片——生命科学领域的新工具

微芯片（有人称其为生物芯片biochip)是用硅、玻璃等材料,经光刻、化学合成等技术微加工而成的、大小1 cm²左右的芯片.它可以用来对生物样品进行分离、制备、预浓缩,还可以作为微反应池进行PCR(polymerase chain reaction)、LCR(ligase chain reaction)等反应.最为吸引人的是,芯片上制成多种不同的DNA阵列,即可用于核酸序列的测定及基因突变检测.对微芯片的制作、作用原理、性能及用途等进行了综述.     

不同材质微芯片内细胞生长状态分析

微系统技术在细胞生物学方面的研究中已得到广泛应用。了解细胞在微系统芯片内的生长状态,对于利用微系统技术进行细胞研究有重要的指导意义。玻璃和聚二甲基硅氧烷（polydimethylsiloxane,PDMS）是目前制作细胞培养微芯片的主要材料。通过向以二者为基底材料制作的细胞培养微芯片内导入内皮细胞进行培养,利用实验室构建的细胞成像分析系统观察和分析细胞在不同基底材料的芯片内5天的增殖情况,同时研究了基底材料的预处理方法以及培养基对细胞增殖的影响。     

连续流动式PCR微流控装置的研究

介绍了基于薄膜加热器的新型连续流动式PCR微流控装置的设计与制作;讨论了退火温度、PCR反应试剂(引物、Mg2 、dNTPs以及Taq DNA聚合酶)浓度以及PCR溶液的流动速度等对连续流动式PCR反应的影响;结果发现反应试剂影响连续流动式微流控PCR扩增的行为不同于它们影响传统PCR的行为,在较宽的浓度范围内都不会引起非特异性扩增。除此之外,在15 min内能成功对249 bp的人类β-肌动蛋白基因进行扩增,扩增速度比传统PCR快;通过低热容量的薄膜加热器来维持三个温度区带的恒温,完成33个循环的连续流动式PCR扩增能量消耗小于0.0088 kW.h,比传统PCR仪低得多,新研制的PCR微流控装置有可能成为便携式装置。     

SSR - PCR反应体系建立与优化的研究概述

SSR标记是基于PCR基础上的一种分子标记,其扩增效果直接影响到SSR分析,近年来从不同方面对SSR - PCR反应体系的建立与优化进行了大量的研究.该文简要介绍SSR - PCR扩增反应体系建立的方法,综述SSR - PCR扩增反应的应用及其近展,并对存在的问题进行探讨,对今后的发展进行展望,以期为从事该方面的研究奠定基础.     

超快脉冲控制PCR（upPCR）技术及应用

在精准医疗、个性化医疗的大背景下,分子诊断在病原体检测、肿瘤诊断、优生优育、环境保护、食品安全等领域的应用越来越广泛,并逐渐向操作简单、快速准确、低成本、适用于基层及家庭使用的分子即时检测（point-of-care testing,POCT）方向发展。超快脉冲控制PCR（ultra-fast pulse-controlled PCR,upPCR）是实时荧光定量PCR（qPCR）技术的延伸和升级,该技术利用能量脉冲控制扩增反应中的金属加热元件（主要是纳米金）,在几百微秒内完成溶液局部微环境的快速升温,实现模板DNA的解链变性,停止加热后反应微环境可被周围溶液快速冷却到聚合酶的延伸温度,实现引物退火和模板DNA的扩增,单个变性-扩增循环仅有1.5~5 s,远快于传统PCR（约90 s/循环）,从而能够极大地加快扩增反应速度。upPCR技术在保留了传统qPCR高灵敏度、高特异性和多重检测等优势的基础上,增加了超快速（低于15 min）、设备简单等新优势,非常适合用于基层检测等分子POCT场景。本文主要对upPCR技术的原理、设备、核心原料及在分子诊断中的应用进行综述,并对该技术存在的优缺点,以及未来的技术发展和应用趋势进行了讨论。     

基于SPE法的新型DNA提取微芯片的制作和研究

在生物医学和临床诊断中,DNA提取是关键的步骤。随着生物分析仪器的小型化和芯片化,有必要制作DNA提取芯片。固相提取法（Solid-Phase Extraction,SPE法）是近年来实验室常用的DNA提取方法,其操作简单,时间消耗少,但是基于SPE法制作的微芯片报道较少,利用硅微加工工艺制作DNA提取芯片,并使用SPE法进行PCR产物中DNA提取实验及大肠菌培养液中DNA的提取实验。此芯片可以在半个小时内完成DNA的提取,易于和别的芯片（如PCR芯片等）整合,具有很好的发展前景。     

美国黑核桃SSR反应体系优化

优化SSR-PCR反应体系是黑核桃（Juglans nigra L.）SSR基因鉴定和群体遗传等研究的基础。本研究通过对PCR反应中Mg²⁺浓度、牛血清白蛋白（Bovine Serum Albumin,BSA）浓度、Taq聚合酶用量、dNTPs浓度、引物浓度和模板DNA量的组合以及PCR程序组合试验,确定了黑核桃SSR的最佳反应体系,即在10 μL的PCR反应体系中,含10 ng模板DNA,0.1 mg·mL^-1牛血清蛋白（BSA）,0.25 mmol·L^-1 dNTPs,1.5 mmol·L^-1 Mg²⁺ 1 μL 10X Taq DNA聚合酶反应缓冲液,0.5 U Taq聚合酶,1.0 mmol·L^-1单对引物（0.5 mmol·L^-13对引物）。SSR-PCR反应扩增程序为：94℃变性3 min;93℃变性15 s,50℃或者53.5℃退火1 min,72℃延伸30 s,32个循环;72℃后延伸10 min,置4℃保存。利用此反应体系对黑核桃进行PCR扩增并电泳检测,其结果清晰、稳定、可靠,适合进一步对黑核桃群体遗传、基因型鉴定和分子生态研究。     

单核苷酸突变基因型PCR - SSP快速检测方法的建立

目的:探讨多样本、多基因的单核苷酸突变基因分型操作的PCR - SSP的最优参数,建立最佳反应体系.方法:优化PCR - SSP反应中扩增体系参数,选取优化后的参数做为反应体系;在反应体系已优化的条件下,分别优化解链温度、循环参数.结果:优化后Mg2+、dNTPs、Taq酶、序列特异性引物、内对照引物、DNA模板在20μL反应体系中的终浓度分别为:3.75 μmol/L、0.5m mol/L、2.5U、0.5μmol/L、0.2μmol/L、0.15μg;采用改良的TouchDown做为循环参数,其中DNA变性时间至15min,增加5个起始循环.结论:成功建立了PCR - SSP反应的快速操作体系,扩增条带清晰,普通、琼脂糖凝胶电泳即可检测单核苷酸突变基因型.优化后的体系适合对人、小鼠等各类型DNA样本进行快速多基因单核苷酸多态性分型.     

一种细胞培养微芯片的制作及应用

细胞培养是细胞研究的基础, 微系统技术的发展给细胞培养提供了新的方法。在微系统平台上进行细胞研究,能够充分利用微流体和微结构的性质, 对细胞进行操控, 在细胞生物学、组织工程学、药物筛选等领域有广泛应用。介绍了一种利用SU-8负性光刻胶模具制作双层细胞培养微芯片的方法, 该芯片通过狭缝将细胞培养区和微通道区隔离, 既保证细胞培养区域的相对独立, 又可以利用微流体的特性调节细胞外基质的性质, 给基于微芯片进行细胞研究提供了一种新的平台。     

Development of a novel DNA chip based on a bipolar semiconductor microchip system

We have applied an integrated circuit photodiode array (PDA) chip system to a DNA chip. The PDA chip system, constructed using conventional bipolar semiconductor technology, acts as a solid transducer surface as well as a two-dimensional photodetector. DNA hybridization was performed directly on the PDA chip. The target DNA, the Bacillus subtilis sspE gene, was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The 340-bp PCR product was labeled using digoxigenin (DIG). A silicon nitride layer on the photodiode was treated with poly-L-lysine to immobilize the DNA on the surface of the photodiode detection elements. Consequently, the surface of the photodiode detector became positively charged. An anti-DIG-alkaline phosphatase conjugate was reacted with the hybridized DIG-labeled DNA. A color reaction was performed based on the enzymatic reaction between nitroblue tetrazolium/5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-phosphate (NBT/BCIP) staining solution and a DNA complex containing antibodies. A blue precipitate was formed on the surfaces of the photodiode detection elements. Successful quantitative analysis of the hybridized PCR products was achieved from the light absorption properties of the blue enzymatic reaction product that was produced after a series of reaction processes. Our DNA chip system avoids the complicated optical alignments and light-collecting optical components that are usually required for an optical DNA chip device. As a result, a simple, compact, portable and low-cost DNA chip is achieved. This system has great potential as an alternative system to the conventional DNA reader.     

Polymerase chain reaction of 2-kb cyanobacterial gene and human anti-alpha1-chymotrypsin gene from genomic DNA on the In-Check single-use microfabricated silicon chip

The microfabricated chip is a promising format for automating and miniaturizing the multiple steps of genotyping. We tested an innovative silicon biochip (In-Check Lab-on-Chip; STMicroelectronics, Agrate Brianza, Italy) designed for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of complex biological samples. The chip is mounted on a 1x3-in(2). plastic slide that provides the necessary mechanical, thermal, electrical, and fluidic connections. A temperature control system drives the chip to the desired temperatures, and a graphical user interface allows experimenters to define cycling conditions and monitor reactions in real time. During thermal cycling, we recorded a cooling rate of 3.2 degrees C/s and a heating rate of 11 degrees C/s. The temperature maintained at each thermal plateau was within 0.13 degrees C of the programmed temperature at three sensors. From 0.5 ng/microl genomic DNA, the In-Check device successfully amplified the 2060-bp cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene and the 330-bp human anti-alpha(1)-chymotrypsin gene. The shortest PCR protocol that produced an amplicon by capillary electrophoresis comprised 30 cycles and was 22.5 min long. These thermal cycling characteristics suggest that the In-Check device will permit future development of a genotyping lab-on-a-chip device, yielding results in a short time from a limited amount of biological starting material.     

Polymerase chain reaction/ligase detection reaction/hybridization assays using flow-through microfluidic devices for the detection of low-abundant DNA point mutations

We have microfabricated a flow-through biochip for the analysis of single base mutations in genomic DNA using two different materials: (1) a polycarbonate (PC) chip for performing a primary polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by an allele-specific ligation detection reaction (LDR) and (2) a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chip for the detection of the LDR products using a universal array platform. The operation of the device was demonstrated by detecting low-abundant DNA mutations in gene fragments (K-ras) that carry point mutations with high diagnostic value for colorectal cancers. The PC microchip was used for sequential PCR/LDR in a continuous-flow format, in which the following three steps were carried out: (1) exponential amplification of gene fragments from genomic DNA; (2) mixing of the resultant PCR product with a LDR mixture via a Y-shaped passive micromixer and (3) ligation of two primers only when the particular mutation was present in the genomic DNA. A PMMA chip was employed as the microarray device, where zip code sequences (24-mer), which were complementary to sequences present on the discriminating primer, were micro-printed into fluidic channels embossed into the PMMA substrate. We successfully demonstrate the ability to detect one mutant DNA in 80 normal sequences with the integrated microfluidic device. The PCR/LDR/hybridization assay using the microchips performed the entire assay at a relatively fast processing speed: 18.7 min for PCR, 8.1 min for LDR, 5 min for hybridization, 10 min for washing and 2.6 min for fluorescence scanning (total processing time=ca. 50 min) with an order of magnitude reduction in reagents compared to bench-top formats.     

Micromachined polymerase chain reaction system for multiple DNA amplification of upper respiratory tract infectious diseases

This paper presents a micro polymerase chain reaction (PCR) chip for the DNA-based diagnosis of microorganism genes and the detection of their corresponding antibiotic-resistant genes. The micro PCR chip comprises cheap biocompatible soda-lime glass substrates with integrated thin-film platinum resistors as heating/sensing elements, and is fabricated using micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) techniques in a reliable batch-fabrication process. The heating and temperature sensing elements are made of the same material and are located inside the reaction chamber in order to ensure a uniform temperature distribution. This study performs the detection of several genes associated with upper respiratory tract infection microorganisms, i.e. Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemopilus influenze, Staphylococcu aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Neisseria meningitides, together with their corresponding antibiotic-resistant genes. The lower thermal inertia of the proposed micro PCR chip relative to conventional bench-top PCR systems enables a more rapid detection operation with reduced sample and reagent consumption. The experimental data reveal that the high heating and cooling rates of the system (20 and 10 degrees C/s, respectively) permit successful DNA amplification within 15 min. The micro PCR chip is also capable of performing multiple DNA amplification, i.e. the simultaneous duplication of multiple genes under different conditions in separate reaction wells. Compared with the large-scale PCR system, it is greatly advantageous for fast diagnosis of multiple infectious diseases. Multiplex PCR amplification of two DNA segments in the same well is also feasible using the proposed micro device. The developed micro PCR chip provides a crucial tool for genetic analysis, molecular biology, infectious disease detection, and many other biomedical applications.     

六倍体大小麦tritordeum花药组织特异性启动子的鉴定与分离

启动子是基因表达调控的重要顺式元件,也是基因工程表达载体的一个重要元件。一个无启动子的带有UidA基因的质粒pPLGUS通过基因枪转化进tritordeum材料中,对转基因材料的多种不同组织进行了X-gluc显色来检测不同组织中的GUS活性,有一个株系的花药组织特异性启动子已被证明成功捕获,并通过PCR方法将其分离。提取叶片的总DNA作模板,上游使用水稻花药启动子分离的引物P1,以UidA基因的部分序列为下游引物P2,PCR扩增UidA基因的上游旁侧序列。已经获得一条长667 bp的目的片断,含有部分UidA基因的序列和一段UidA基因的上游旁侧序列,该序列中具有植物启动子的一些必备元件,初步断定它是一段花药组织特异性启动子序列。     

Disposable real-time microPCR device: lab-on-a-chip at a low cost

We have designed, fabricated and tested a real-time micro polymerase chain reaction (microPCR) system. It consists of a microscope glass cover slip placed on top of a micromachined silicon chip integrated with a heater and a temperature sensor. A single microL of a sample containing DNA was placed on the glass and encapsulated with mineral oil to prevent the evaporation of water, thus forming a virtual reaction chamber (VRC). The PCR chip required half a second to heat up from 72 to 94 degrees C and two seconds to cool from 94 to 55 degrees C, corresponding to a cooling rate of -20 K s(-1). The real-time PCR yield was determined by a fluorescence method. The melting curve analysis method as well as capillary electrophoresis was performed to determine the purity of the PCR product. As the glass slip is disposable, cross-contamination from sample to sample is eliminated. The total cost of running the PCR is given by the value of the cover slip and its treatment.     

Stable Transformation of the Intact Cells of Chlorella Kessleri with High Velocity Microprojectiles

A transgenic expression system of Chlorella kessleri using the gene for β-glucuronidase (GUS) was developed. Cells of this unicellular green alga were bombarded with the plasmid pBI 121, which bears β-glucuronidase under the control of CaMV 35S promoter and the kanamycin resistant gene. Maximum GUS activity was obtained after 48 h of bombardment using a helium pressure of 900 kPa; GUS activity was then assayed for many generations. The stable transformants were able to grow on kanamycin containing medium after repeated passages between selective and nonselective medium and exhibited GUS activity comparable to that of control cells. Stable transformed cells were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern hybridization of GUS probe with the genomic DNA of C. kessleri. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

甘蓝型油菜BcNA1基因启动子在转基因烟草中对GUS基因表达的调控

通过PCR扩增,从甘蓝型油菜（Brassica     

A versatile oscillating-flow microfluidic PCR system utilizing a thermal gradient for nucleic acid analysis

We report the development of a versatile system based on the oscillating-flow methodology in a thermal gradient system for nucleic acid analysis. Analysis of DNA and RNA samples were performed in the device, without additional temperature control and complexity. The technique reported in this study eliminates the need for predetermined fluidic channels for thermocycles, and complexity involved with additional incubation steps required for RNA amplification. A microfluidic device was fabricated using rapid prototyping by simply sandwiching dual side adhesive Kapton tape and a polydimethylsiloxane spacer between glass microscope slides. Amplification of the 181-bp segment of a viral phage DNA (ΦX174) and B2M gene in human RNA samples was demonstrated using the system. The developed system enables simultaneous acquisition of amplification and melt curves, eliminating the need for postprocessing. A direct comparison between the oscillating-flow system and a commercial real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) instrument showed complete agreement in PCR data and improved sample-to-result time by eliminating an additional 30 min melt curve step required in commercial PCR systems.     

Microchamber array based DNA quantification and specific sequence detection from a single copy via PCR in nanoliter volumes

A novel method for DNA quantification and specific sequence detection in a highly integrated silicon microchamber array is described. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) mixture of only 40 nL volume could be introduced precisely into each chamber of the mineral oil layer coated microarray by using a nanoliter dispensing system. The elimination of carry-over and cross-contamination between microchambers, and multiple DNA amplification and detection by TaqMan chemistry were demonstrated, for the first time, by using our system. Five different gene targets, related to Escherichia coli were amplified and detected simultaneously on the same chip by using DNA from three different serotypes as the templates. The conventional method of DNA quantification, which depends on the real-time monitoring of variations in fluorescence intensity, was not applied to our system, instead a simple method was established. Counting the number of the microchambers with a high fluorescence signal as a consequence of TaqMan PCR provided the precise quantification of trace amounts of DNA. The initial DNA concentration for Rhesus D (RhD) gene in each microchamber was ranged from 0.4 to 12 copies, and quantification was achieved by observing the changes in the released fluorescence signals of the microchambers on the chip. DNA target could be detected as small as 0.4 copies. The amplified DNA was detected with a CCD camera built-in to a fluorescence microscope, and also evaluated by a DNA microarray scanner with associated software. This simple method of counting the high fluorescence signal released in microchambers as a consequence of TaqMan PCR was further integrated with a portable miniaturized thermal cycler unit. Such a small device is surely a strong candidate for low-cost DNA amplification, and detected as little as 0.4 copies of target DNA.