Capillary electrophoresis using replaceable gels

Abstract

The filing of an internally coated capillary with a gel in its polymerized state without damaging the gel. The coating prevents bonding of the gel to the inside of the capillary. The gel comprises up to 6% acrylamide and 0-5% crosslinker. The gel can be advantageously and conveniently used in automated electrophoresis systems for automatic replacement of spent gel.

I claim:  
     
       1. A method of forming a gel filled capillary useful for capillary electrophoresis comprising the steps of: 
       providing a capillary  
       providing polymerized gel; and  
       filling the capillary with polymerized gel.  
     
     
       2. A method of as in  claim 1 A method of forming a gel filled capillary useful for capillary electrophoresis comprising: 
       
         providing a capillary;  
       
       
         providing a polymerized gel; and  
       
         filling the capillary with the polymerized gel by an application of force,  wherein the capillary provided has a coating on the inside of the capillary which prevents bonding of the gel to the coating.  
     
     
       3. A method as in  claim 2  wherein the monomer is acrylamide and the gel has composition comprising up to 6% acrylamide and 0-5% crosslinker. 
     
     
       4. A method as in  claim 3  wherein the crosslinker comprises methylenebisacrylamide. 
     
     
       5. A method as in  claim 1  wherein the polymerized gel is provided by providing polymerizable monomer and polymerizing the monomer into gel. 
     
     
       6. A method of separating a sample into its molecular species comprising the steps of: 
       providing a capillary;  
       providing polymerized gel useful for electrophoresis;  
       filling the capillary with the polymerized gel;  
       introducing a sample into the filled capillary; and performing electrophoresis on the sample to separate the sample into its molecular species.  
     
     
       7. A method as in  claim 6  further comprising the steps:  A method of separating a sample into its molecular species comprising: 
       
         providing a capillary;  
       
       
         providing a polymerized gel useful for electrophoresis;  
       
       
         filling the capillary with the polymerized gel by an application of force;  
       
       
         introducing a sample into the filled capillary;  
       
       
         performing electrophoresis on the sample to separate the sample into its molecular species; 
       
       removing the gel from the capillary after electrophoresis; and  
       refilling the capillary with polymerized gel.  
     
     
       8. A method as in  claim 7 A method of separating a sample into its molecular species comprising: 
       
         providing a capillary;  
       
       
         providing a polymerized gel useful for electrophoresis;  
       
       
         filling the capillary with the polymerized gel by an application of force;  
       
       
         introducing a sample into the filled capillary;  
       
       
         performing electrophoresis on the sample to separate the sample into its molecular species;  
       
       
         removing the gel from the capillary after electrophoresis; and  
       
       
         refilling the capillary with polymerized gel; 
       
       wherein the removing and refilling step are performed at the same time by using polymerized gel to displace the gel originally in the capillary.  
     
     
       9. A method as in claim  6   7 whereby the capillary provided has a coating on the inside of the capillary which prevents bonding of the gel to the coating. 
     
     
       10. A method as in  claim 9  wherein the gel comprises up to 6% acrylamideand 0-5% crosslinker . 
     
     
       11. A method as in  claim 6 of separating a sample into its molecular species comprising: 
       
         providing a capillary;  
       
       
         providing a polymerized gel useful for electrophoresis;  
       
       
         filling the capillary with the polymerized gel by an application of force;  
       
       
         introducing a sample into the filled capillary;  
       
         performing electrophoresis on the sample to separate the sample into its molecular species  wherein the polymerized gel is provided by providing polymerizable monomer and polymerizing the monomer into gel;  
       
         removing the gel from the capillary after electrophoresis; and  
       
       
         refilling the capillary with polymerized gel. 
       
     
     
       12. A method as in  claim 11  wherein the monomer is acrylamide and the gel has a composition comprising up to  6 %  acrylamide.   
     
     
       13. A method of separating a sample into its molecular species comprising: 
       
         providing a capillary;  
       
       
         providing a polymerized gel useful for electrophoresis;  
       
       
         filling the capillary with the polymerized gel by an application of force;  
       
       
         introducing a sample into the filled capillary;  
       
       
         performing electrophoresis on the sample to separate the sample into its molecular species;  
       
       
         removing the gel from the capillary after electrophoresis;  
       
       
         refilling the capillary with polymerized gel; and  
       
       
         automatically controlling operation of an apparatus wherein the polymerized gel and sample are contained in receptacles. 
       
     
     
       14. A method of separating a sample into its molecular species comprising: 
       
         providing a capillary;  
       
       
         providing a polymerized gel useful for electrophoresis;  
       
       
         filling the capillary with the polymerized gel by an application of force;  
       
       
         introducing a sample into the filled capillary;  
       
       
         performing electrophoresis on the sample to separate the sample into its molecular species;  
       
       
         removing the gel from the capillary after electrophoresis;  
       
       
         refilling the capillary with polymerized gel; and  
       
       
         automatically controlling operation of an apparatus wherein the polymerized gel and sample are contained in receptacles, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a carrier for supporting the receptacles and means for turning the carrier to position the carrier to the respective receptacle in flow communication with the capillary. 
       
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the polymerized gel comprises crosslinker. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the removing step comprises running a solution into the capillary to remove spent gel. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the removing and refilling steps are performed at the same time by using polymerized gel to displace the gel originally in the capillary. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the removing step comprises running a solution into the capillary to remove spent gel. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the removing step comprises running a solution into the capillary to remove spent gel. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the removing and refilling steps are performed at the same time by using polymerized gel to displace the gel originally in the capillary. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising up to  5 %  crosslinker.   
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising up to  5 %  crosslinker.