Device, System, And Method For Depositing Processed Immiscible-Fluid-Discrete-Volumes

Abstract

Various embodiments relate to systems and/or methods for sample preparation that can be used for biochemical and/or molecular biology procedures involving small volumes, for example, micro volumes or smaller. Methods and systems that can reduce sample size requirements and increase the number of samples on a substrate are provided. Samples can be applied to a plate or other appropriate substrate and can be used for, inter alia, sequencing reactions. In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and/or methods for charged analyte collection are provided. Charged analytes in a sample can be electrokinetically collected or extracted from a conduit through a hole formed in a sidewall of the conduit, by application of an electric field that causes the charged analytes to migrate in a direction that is transverse to the conduit.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A system comprising:
 an aqueous sample injection unit in fluid communication with at least one conduit comprising a maximum inner cross-sectional dimension;   a spacing fluid injection unit in fluid communication with the at least one conduit, the aqueous sample injection unit and the spacing fluid injection unit in fluid communication with the at least one conduit;   a control unit adapted to flow an aqueous sample and a spacing fluid from the aqueous sample injection unit and the spacing fluid injection unit, respectively, and adapted to inject volumes of aqueous sample and spacing fluid that respectively form slugs in the at least one conduit wherein each slug has an outer dimension that is equal to the maximum inner cross-sectional dimension of the at least one conduit;   an electrically conductive substrate; and   a capillary electrophoretic sequencer adapted to inject a sample component when a sample component is disposed on the electrically-conductive surface.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the electrically conductive surfaces comprise at least one channel. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the electrically conductive substrate comprises linker moieties adapted to bind to a nucleic acid. 
     
     
         26 . The system of claim wherein the linker moieties comprise a plurality of the same linker moiety. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the electrically conductive substrate comprises at least one channel. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the aqueous fluid injection unit and the spacing fluid injection unit comprise separate units. 
     
     
         29 - 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . A system comprising:
 an immersion plate, and a layer of a first fluid retained by the immersion plate; and   a conduit comprising a tip and an interior, the interior comprising a plurality of immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes of a second fluid, spaced apart by a spacing fluid that is immiscible with each of the immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes, disposed in the interior, wherein the tip is positioned such that when the immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes exit the tip, the immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes contact the first fluid retained by the immersion plate, and the second fluid has a different density than the first fluid.   
     
     
         75 . A method comprising:
 discharging immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes from inside a conduit having a discharge tip, through the discharge tip, and into a first fluid retained by an immersion plate, wherein the first fluid is immiscible with the immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes and the density of the first fluid is different than the densities of each of the immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes.   
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the densities of the immiscible fluids of the immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes are each greater than the density of the first fluid. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the first fluid retained by the immersion plate has a surface, and the discharge tip is disposed below the surface. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes are spaced apart from one another in the conduit by a spacing fluid that is immiscible with the immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein the spacing fluid is the same fluid as the first fluid. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the first fluid comprises an oil. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein the immersion plate comprises hydrophilic features covered by the first fluid, at least one of the hydrophilic features comprises a gold surface, and one or more of the immiscible-fluid-discrete-volumes discharged from the conduit is in contact with one or more of the hydrophilic features and comprises a sulfhydryl-labeled primer. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 81 , wherein the immersion plate further comprises a hydrophobic coating that surrounds one or more of the hydrophilic features. 
     
     
         83 - 96 . (canceled)