Applications of Microreactors for Enzymatic Diagnostics and Genetic Analysis

DNA analysis on-chip can be used in disease diagnosis with a genetic basis. PCR-based amplification and analysis can provide information on patient s gene expression profiles. The standard method of PCR takes several days but there is an 

A fully integrated LOG was reported by Sauer-Budge and others [54] for detecting bacteria. The system enables bacterial lysis, nucleic add isolation and concentration, 

Enzyme microreactors have also received wide application not only in the analysis but also in the synthesis of DNA. A nanoscale platform for real-time single-molecule sequencing by recording the DNA synthesis process by an immobilized DNA polymerase has been developed and has been covered by US patent application number 7,329,492 [62]. The process relies on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the fluorescence receptor moiety on the dNTPs and the fluorescent dye attached to the donor DNA that emits an enhanced signal upon nucleotide incorporation. Immobilization of polymerase enables increased sensitivity detection as the DNA strand extends imattached. 

In another study, a microchip-based electrochemical enzyme immunoassay was developed by Chatrathi and colleagues [65] and its performance is demonstrated for the determination of monoclonal mouse IgG as a model analyte. The direct homogeneous immunoassay requires the integration of electrokinetic mixing of ALP-labeled anti-mouse IgG antibody (Ab-E) with the mouse IgG antigen (Ag) analyte in a precolumn reaction chamber, injection of immunochemical products into the separation channel, followed by rapid electrophoretic separation of enzyme-labeled free antibody and enzyme-labeled antibody-antigen complex. The separation is followed by a postcolumn reaction of enzyme tracer with p-aminophenyl 

I Plaeemeni of beads lo ihe How channel using the syringe pump 

---