Integrated sample processing system

Abstract

An integrated sample purification system includes a housing, a sample container rack, a filter holder, and a cylindrical magnet. The sample container rack and the filter device holder are disposed in the housing. The sample container rack is configured to hold one or more sample containers, the filter device holder is configured to hold one or more filter devices. The cylindrical magnet is adjacent to and external to the sample container rack, and is rotated about a central, longitudinal axis of the magnet by an electric motor disposed in the housing to lyse cells, Molecules of interest in the lysed cells are purified using filters that bind specifically to the molecules of interest. The system is readily amenable to automation and rapid purification and. analysis of molecules of interest, such as nucleic acids and proteins.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for purifying a molecule of interest from a sample with a sample purification system, comprising:
 placing a sample tribe containing a liquid sample suspension, a magnetic stirrer and cell lysis beads on the sample rack;   homogenizing the sample suspension by rotating the cylindrical magnet at a speed sufficient to lyse cells in the sample suspension in the presence of the magnetic stirrer and cell lysis beads;   flowing the homogenized sample suspension through a filter device comprising a filter matrix under conditions that the molecule of interest binds to the filter matrix, wherein the filter device is mounted on the filter device holder;   washing the filter matrix; and   eluting the bound molecule of interest from the filter matrix,   wherein the sample purification system comprises:   an electric motor;   a sample container rack, wherein the sample container rack is configured to hold one or more sample containers;   a filter device holder disposed in the housing, wherein the filter device holder is configured to hold one or more filter devices comprising filters for binding molecules of interest; and   a magnet adjacent to the side and external to the sample container rack, wherein the magnet rotates about a central, longitudinal axis of the magnet by the electric motor.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the sample tube is pre-packed with one or more items selected from the group consisting of magnetic stirrers, cell lysis beads, reagents that facilitate cell lysis and reagents that preserve the integrity of the molecules of interest. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the liquid sample suspension comprises sputum. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 21 . wherein the molecule of interest is a nucleic acid. 
     
     
         25 . The method of claim  24 , further comprising the step of amplifying the eluted nucleic acid with primers specific for  Mycobacterium tuberculosis  and determining whether the nucleic acid comprise  Mycobacterium tuberculosis  DNA.) 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the magnet is a cylindrical magnet. 
     
     
         27 . The method of claim  26 , wherein the cylindrical magnet has magnetic poles symmetrically disposed along and around the longitudinal axis of the magnet. 
     
     
         28 . A method for purifying a molecule of interest from a sample, comprising:
 placing a sample tube on a sample rack, wherein the sample tube contains a liquid sample suspension, a magnetic stirrer and cell lysis bead wherein the sample rack is located in the proximity of a magnet;   rotating the magnet about its longitudinal axis such that the magnetic stirrer in each sample tube spins and agitates the cell lysis beads to a degree sufficient to disrupt cells in the sample suspension to produce a cell lysate;   flowing at least a portion of the cell lysate through a first opening of a filter pipette tip so that a molecule of interest from the cell lysate bind to a filter matrix in the pipette tip;   expelling unbound portion of the cell lysate that passes through the filter matrix in the flowing step from the first opening of the filter tip;   eluting the molecule of interest bound to the filter matrix by taking in an elution buffer through the first opening of the filter tip, flowing the elution buffer through the filter matrix, and   expelling the elution buffer that flowed through the filter matrix from the filter tip via the first opening.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the liquid sample suspension comprises sputum. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the molecule of interest is a nucleic acid, 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of amplifying the eluted nucleic acid with primers specific for  Mycobacterium tuberculosis  and determining whether the nucleic acid comprise  Mycobacterium tuberculosis  DNA. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the magnet is a cylindrical magnet. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the cylindrical magnet has magnetic poles symmetrically disposed along and around the longitudinal axis of the magnet.