JP4061672B2 - Angle rotor for centrifuge - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an angle rotor of a centrifuge used in the fields of medicine, chemistry, pharmacy and the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the process of DNA sequencing performed in research fields such as genome analysis in the field of genetic engineering, confirmation of cloned DNA, diagnosis of pathogenic genes, etc., DNA is isolated and purified from blood cells and cells, and the target gene is detected by a method called PCR method. Replication amplification is performed, and then, as the amplification product is purified, excess fluorescent substances are removed and unreacted primers are removed, and DNA is taken out and analyzed by an apparatus called a DNA sequencer. In this step, DNA obtained by replicating and amplifying the target gene by the PCR method is subjected to ethanol precipitation by adding an appropriate amount of ethanol or the like and centrifuging it.
[0003]
Conventionally, the target gene replication amplification process by the PCR method is performed by using a device called a thermal cycler and simultaneously using 12 to 48 plastic test tubes (microtubes) of about 2 ml to 0.5 ml as sample containers. It was. After replication amplification of the target gene with a thermal cycler, the test tube is taken out and purified by using a rotor shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-40112, for example, the rotor shown in FIG. And about 10 minutes, and the excess fluorescent substance in the sample is removed and the unreacted primer is removed to take out the DNA. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal side view showing a conventional rotor. A 1.5 ml test tube 6A is inserted on the left side of the figure, and a 0.2 ml micro test tube 6B is inserted on the right side via a test tube adapter. ing. In this method, since the size of the test tube is limited, the simultaneous processing amount of the test tube of the thermal cycler is small, and it is about 48 at most.
[0004]
As an improved version, recently, there are 96 sample injection holes called micro test tubes or microplates with a capacity of 0.2 ml, and a multi-sample type that can use a square plate sample container with a capacity of about 0.2 ml for each hole. Thermal cyclers are beginning to be sold. 0.2 ml micro test tubes are sold for thermal cyclers, with 8 or 12 tubes at regular intervals. FIG. 3 shows an external view of these test tubes. In FIG. 3, (A) is a conventionally used 1.5 ml test tube 6A, and a cap 8 connected to the test tube main body 7 by a thin member is attached to the upper end. FIG. 3B shows a 0.2 ml micro test tube 6B, and a cap 8 connected to the test tube body 7 by a thin member is attached to the upper end in the same manner as the 1.5 ml test tube 6A. FIG. 3C shows a micro test tube having a structure in which twelve 0.2 ml micro test tubes are connected. Here, although the shape is slightly different from the test tube of FIG. 3B, the shape of the lower part is the same. In addition, there are continuous test tubes connected with the test tube main body 7 and those connected with the cap 8 as shown in this figure, but there is no difference in performance and operability. Further, the interval between adjacent test tube bodies 7 has the same size, and each test tube is manufactured by molding a lot of plastic with polypropylene, and the lower part has a substantially inverted conical shape as shown in the figure. . In addition, the test tube interval of a micro test tube having a structure in which 8 or 12 0.2 ml micro test tubes are connected is fixed to a certain value, which is the test tube interval of the test tube housing portion of the thermal cycler. Is consistent with
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional ethanol precipitation process using an angle rotor, the operation is very complicated because each test tube is handled one by one. In addition, the normal test tube is taken out by pinching the cap part with a finger, but the adjacent cap becomes a problem and it is inconvenient to take out the test tube. In order to solve this, it is necessary to widen the interval between adjacent test tube insertion holes, and as a result, many test tube insertion holes cannot be provided. Moreover, in order to put a 0.2 ml micro test tube on a conventional rotor, it is necessary to provide an adapter for the outer diameter of the test tube and the diameter of the test tube insertion hole, which is troublesome. Furthermore, the 8 ml and 12 series of 0.2 ml micro test tubes have holes in the conical surface rather than in a straight line because the conventional method for arranging the test tube insertion holes in the rotor is not in a straight line. Since the test tube could not be inserted, it could not be applied to the latest thermal cycler. In addition, the test tube for the thermal cycler has a very thin wall pressure to accurately control the temperature in the thermal cycler, and the test tube insertion hole supports the entire outer diameter of the test tube during centrifugation. If the shape is not configured, the test tube may be damaged by the liquid pressure in the test tube during centrifugation.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to provide an angle rotor that solves the above-described problems, efficiently performs centrifugation using a large number of test tubes, and is excellent in operability.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an angle rotor for a centrifuge for mounting a continuous test tube constituted by connecting 8 or 12 micro test tubes at regular intervals. A recess is formed on the upper surface of the rotor so as to surround the rotation shaft of the rotor, and an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined angle in the range of 20 ° to 70 ° with respect to the rotation shaft is formed on the inner surface of the recess. , the surrounding of the rotating shaft, and, formed along a plurality of straight lines symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis, an insertion hole substantially matching shape to the outer shape of the micro tube to the inclined surfaces, By providing eight or twelve or more test tube insertion holes in a straight line at substantially the same interval as the test tube interval of the micro test tube forming the continuous test tube, the eight or twelve micro test tubes are provided. Attach and remove the connected test tubes at the same time It has one feature in being able to do it.
[0008]
Another feature of the present invention is that the test tube insertion hole formed linearly on the inclined surface is formed in a direction that forms an angle of 90 ° with respect to the inclined surface .
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view showing an angle rotor according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the angle rotor according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the rotor 1 is provided with a drive shaft hole 3 at the center thereof which is fitted and fastened to the drive shaft of the centrifuge. Four planes 4 arranged at an angle of α ° with respect to the rotation shaft 5 of the drive shaft are provided symmetrically with respect to the rotation shaft 5. Further, twelve test tube insertion holes 2 are arranged at an angle of β ° with respect to each plane 4. As a result, a total of 48 test tubes can be inserted, so that the processing efficiency can be improved. A 0.2 ml micro test tube 6C is inserted on the left side in the figure, and twelve test tubes can be attached and detached simultaneously by picking the cap. The test tube insertion hole 2 has a substantially inverted conical shape at the bottom as shown. Furthermore, the rotor 1 is made of an aluminum alloy and is designed to have a sufficient durability at an allowable maximum rotational speed of 12,000 revolutions / minute.
[0010]
In the rotor 1 configured as described above, each plane 4 provided with the test tube insertion holes 2 is at an equal distance from the rotating shaft 5 and can accommodate the same number of test tubes. 20 ° to 70 ° is appropriate for α °, and 45 ° is most appropriate from the separation state and processing state of centrifugation. The angle β ° between the test tube insertion hole 2 and the flat surface 5 is most easily processed and manufactured at 90 °, and the degree of calmness when the test tube is inserted is good. The interval between the test tube insertion holes 2 provided in each plane 4 is preferably 8.95 mm ± 0.1 mm, and this dimension is a test tube housing portion of a thermal cycler in which the latest 0.2 ml test tube can be used. This is the same as the test tube interval, and the post-process can be more efficiently advanced by making them coincide. Also, the inverted conical shape at the bottom of the test tube insertion hole 2 is a shape that substantially matches the outer shape of the 0.2 ml micro test tube described in FIGS. 3B and 3C, and the test tube is inserted. It is desirable to make the gap between the hole and the test tube very small. This can prevent the test tube from being damaged by the liquid pressure in the test tube even when the test tube with very thin wall pressure is rotated at high speed and centrifuged. Moreover, since the strength of the rotor 1 is 8,000 rpm or more, ethanol precipitation for recovering DNA using a suspension in which an appropriate amount of alcohol is added to a solution containing DNA (nucleic acid) or protein as a liquid sample. The treatment can be carried out without any trouble using 0.2 ml of 8 tube or 12 tube. In addition, since the outer diameter and length of the test tube are small as a multi-processing process, it is possible to improve the processing efficiency by providing a plurality of 12 continuous holes in the plane 4 as two rows and three rows.
[0011]
Next, using the swing rotor for the centrifuge shown in FIG. 1, a rotation test was performed on each of the commercially available 0.2 ml micro test tube, the 0.2 ml micro test tube, and the 8-strip test tube. It was confirmed that rotation was possible without problems up to 12,000 rpm and 14,000 × g. For the actual centrifugation effect, a DNA recovery experiment was performed from a lambda DNA solution (32 g / ml), which is lambda phage DNA, by ethanol precipitation. The DNA recovery rate is 100% at any of the conditions of a rotation speed of 8,000 rpm (maximum centrifugal acceleration 6,300 × g) for 30 minutes and 12,000 rpm (maximum centrifugal acceleration 14,000 × g) for 10 minutes, A centrifugal effect similar to the centrifugal separation at 12,000 rpm in the conventional DNA sequencing process could be obtained.
[0012]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an angle rotor that is efficiently centrifuged using a large number of test tubes and that is excellent in operability.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view showing an angle rotor according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an angle rotor according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an external view showing a micro test tube according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal side view showing a conventional angle rotor.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 is a rotor, 2 is a test tube insertion hole, 3 is a drive shaft hole, 4 is a flat surface, 5 is a rotating shaft, 6A is a 1.5 ml test tube, 6B is a 0.2 ml micro test tube, and 6C is a 12-row micro test. A tube, 7 is a test tube body, 8 is a cap, and 9 is a test tube adapter.

Claims (3)

An angle rotor for a centrifuge for mounting a continuous test tube constituted by connecting 8 or 12 micro test tubes at regular intervals ,
A recess is formed on the upper surface of the rotor so as to surround the rotation shaft of the rotor, and an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined angle in the range of 20 ° to 70 ° with respect to the rotation shaft is formed on the inner surface of the recess,
Inclined surface surrounds the rotating shaft, and, formed along a plurality of straight lines symmetrical with respect to the rotary shaft,
Each inclined surface has an insertion hole having a shape substantially matching the outer shape of the micro test tube, and has eight or twelve or more at substantially the same interval as the test tube interval of the micro test tube forming the continuous test tube. By providing test tube insertion holes in a straight line,
An angle rotor for a centrifuge, wherein the continuous test tubes connected with the 8 or 12 micro test tubes can be attached and detached simultaneously . 2. The angle rotor for a centrifuge according to claim 1, wherein the test tube insertion hole formed linearly on the inclined surface is formed in a direction that forms an angle of 90 [deg.] With respect to the inclined surface. A centrifuge comprising the angle rotor according to claim 1 .

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