High-throughput droplet digital PCR system for absolute quantitation of DNA copy number.

Digital PCR enables the absolute quantitation of nucleic acids in a sample. The lack of scalable and practical technologies for digital PCR implementation has hampered the widespread adoption of this inherently powerful technique. Here we describe a high-throughput droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) system that enables processing of ~2 million PCR reactions using conventional TaqMan assays with a 96-well plate workflow. Three applications demonstrate that the massive partitioning afforded by our ddPCR system provides orders of magnitude more precision and sensitivity than real-time PCR. First, we show the accurate measurement of germline copy number variation. Second, for rare alleles, we show sensitive detection of mutant DNA in a 100,000-fold excess of wildtype background. Third, we demonstrate absolute quantitation of circulating fetal and maternal DNA from cell-free plasma. We anticipate this ddPCR system will allow researchers to explore complex genetic landscapes, discover and validate new disease associations, and define a new era of molecular diagnostics.

A reusable flow-through polymerase chain reaction instrument for the continuous monitoring of infectious biological agents.

Continuous monitoring of the environment for infectious diseases and related biowarfare agents requires the implementation of practical cost-effective methodologies that are highly sensitive and specific. One compatible method employed in clinical diagnostics is real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The utility of this technique for environmental monitoring is limited, however, by the utilization of single-use consumables in commercial PCR instruments. This greatly increases mechanical complexity, because sophisticated robotic mechanisms must replenish the disposable elements. An alternative strategy develops an autonomous monitoring system consisting of reusable modules that readily interface with fluidic circuitry in a flow-through scheme. The reduced complexity should increase reliability while decreasing operating costs. In this report, we describe a reusable, flow-through PCR module that functions as one component in such a system. This module was rigorously evaluated with Bacillus anthracis genomic DNA and demonstrated high repeatability, sensitivity, and efficiency, with no evidence of sample-to-sample carryover.

Autonomous detection of aerosolized Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis.

We have developed and tested a fully autonomous pathogen detection system (APDS) capable of continuously monitoring the environment for airborne biological threat agents. The system is designed to provide early warning to civilians in the event of a terrorist attack. The final APDS will be completely automated, offering aerosol sampling, in-line sample preparation fluidics, multiplexed detection and identification immunoassays, and orthogonal, multiplexed PCR (nucleic acid) amplification and detection. The system performance (current capabilities include aerosol collection, multiplexed immunoassays, sample archiving, data reporting, and alarming) was evaluated in a field test conducted in a Biosafety Level 3 facility, where the system was challenged with, and detected, a series of aerosolized releases containing two live, virulent biological threat agents (Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis). Results presented here represent the first autonomous, simultaneous measurement of these agents.