Flow cell comprising ports and methods for using the same

Abstract

A flow cell having a plurality of independently controllable inlet and/or outlet ports is provided. In certain embodiments, a subject flow cell contains: a) a chamber having a plurality of independently controllable inlet ports and a plurality of independently controllable outlet ports; b) a first manifold in fluid communication with the inlet ports; and c) a second manifold in fluid communication with the outlet ports. Exemplary methods of using a subject flow cell to control liquid flow over a planar substrate are provided.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate an exemplary substrate carrying a chemical array.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates several features of one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates several features of a first embodiment of the instant methods.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an apparatus for array fabrication in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates several features of a second embodiment of the instant methods.

Claims

1. A flow cell comprising: a) a chamber comprising: i. a set of inlet ports andii. a set of outlet ports;b) a first manifold in fluid communication with said inlet ports; andc) a second manifold in fluid communication with said outlet ports,wherein a plurality of said set of inlet ports and/or said set of outlet ports is independently controllable.

2. The flow cell of claim 1, wherein said inlet ports and said outlet ports are connected to said first and second manifolds via independently actuatable valves.

3. The flow cell of claim 1, wherein said inlet ports and said outlet ports are connected to said first and second manifolds via independent solenoid valves.

4. The flow cell of claim 1, wherein flow into and out of said first manifold is independently controllable.

5. The flow cell of claim 1, wherein flow into and out of said second manifold is independently controllable.

6. The flow cell of claim 1, wherein said flow cell is adapted for contacting a surface of a substrate with reagents for in situ oligonucleotide synthesis.

7. The flow cell of claim 1, wherein said flow cell is adapted for contacting a polynucleotide array with hybridization reagents.

8. The flow cell of claim 1, wherein said flow cell comprises at least 10 inlet ports and at least 10 outlet ports.

9. The flow cell of claim 1, wherein said inlet and outlet ports are aligned along opposing sides of said flow cell.

10. An apparatus for in situ fabrication of a chemical array, comprising: a) a pulse-jet fluid deposition device for depositing chemical monomers onto a planar surface of a substrate; andb) a flow cell for contacting said surface with a liquid reagent, said flow cell comprising: i) a chamber comprising: i. a set of inlet ports andii. a set of outlet ports;ii) a first manifold in fluid communication with said inlet ports; andiii) a second manifold in fluid communication with said outlet ports,wherein a plurality of said set of inlet ports and/or said set of outlet ports is independently controllable.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said apparatus is adapted so that a substrate is repeatedly placed in said pulse-jet fluid deposition device and said flow cell to produce said chemical array.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a transfer device for transferring said substrate from said pulse-jet fluid deposition device to said flow cell.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said chemical array is a polynucleotide array and said chemical monomers are nucleotide monomers.

14. A method of using a flow-cell of claim 1, comprising: introducing a liquid into said flow cell through a first independently controllable inlet port of said plurality of inlet ports;removing said liquid from said flow cell through a first independently controllable outlet port of said plurality of outlet ports.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising terminating liquid flow through said first independently controllable inlet port.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising terminating liquid flow through said first independently controllable outlet port.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said method includes altering which inlet ports are used to introduce said liquid.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said method includes altering which outlet ports are used to remove said liquid.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said method is a method for fabricating a chemical array and said method includes: depositing chemical monomers onto a planar surface of a substrate to generate a patterned surface;contacting said patterned surface with said liquid in said flow cell.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said method is a method of hybridizing a chemical array and said method includes: placing said chemical array in said flow cell; andintroducing hybridization reagents into said flow cell via at least one of said inlet ports so that said hybridization reagent contacts said chemical array.

21. An array made using the method of claim 19.

22. An array comprising at least 100 polynucleotide features, wherein at least 50% of the polynucleotides within said features are full length.

23. A method of sample analysis comprising: contacting a sample with an array of claim 21 and detecting binding of molecules in the sample on the array.