High-Density Growth of 96 and 384 Bacterial Samples

描述（由申请人提供）：在第二阶段，我们将开发并测试一种简单、经济高效的设备，该设备允许细菌在任何类型的96或384孔微滴板或深井块中生长，而无需使用昂贵的设备。该产品简化了细菌在紧密间隔的微量滴度板中的生长，但仍能产生比在Erlenmeyer或更大的摇床试管中生长的同等体积更大的DNA产量。在第二阶段，我们将进一步开发和优化在第一阶段成功试验的曝气/搅拌原型装置。该原型装置使用可控的预热、无菌、加湿空气流通过培养基，同时完成对紧密包装的培养物的曝气、加热和搅拌。该样品在大小培养量50 μ l - 1.5 ml范围内均能很好地工作，因此可用于96或384个深孔板的生长。培养量低至300 μ l的DNA产量足以进行多次自动DNA测序反应，从而产生长时间，高精度的读取。所建议的产品造价低廉，并且可以完全独立、紧凑的方式运行，不需要外部培养箱、振动筛、搅拌器或氧气源，而与其他完成此任务的设备一起使用。我们相信，基于第一阶段开发的原型，该设备的售价可以低于2000美元。这个价格比竞争对手的产品便宜，价格在7500美元到30000美元之间。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In Phase II, we will develop, and test a simple, cost-effective device that allows bacterial growth in any type of 96 or 384 well microtiter plates or deep well blocks without the use of expensive equipment. The product simplifies bacterial growth in tightly spaced microtiter plates, yet still result in robust culture with DNA yields greater than equivalent volume grown in Erlenmeyer or larger shaker test tubes. In phase II, we will further develop and optimize an aeration/agitation prototype device that was successfully experimented with in Phase I. This prototype uses a controlled stream of pro-heated, sterile, humidified air that is passed through the culture medium to simultaneously accomplish aeration, heating and agitation of the tightly packed cultures. The prototype works well with small and large culture volumes ranging from 50 mu l to 1.5 ml, and thus could be used for growth in 96 or 384 deep well plates. The DNA yield from culture volumes as low as 300 mu l was sufficient quantity to perform several automated DNA sequencing reactions resulting in long, high accuracy reads. The proposed product will be inexpensive to construct and will operate in a completely self-contained, compact manner without an external incubator, shaker, stirrer or oxygen source as are used with other devices that accomplish this task. We believe, based on prototypes developed in Phase I, the device can be sold for less than $2000. This price compares favorably to competitor products costing $7500 to $30,000. The product will greatly enhance the ability to grow and prepare DNA from recombinant cultures, thereby improving the quality and throughput of large-scale DNA sequencing and analysis efforts. It will also be highly useful in molecular biology labs that are increasingly faced with growth and preparation of larger numbers of recombinant DNA samples. The product address the molecular biology researchers found in over 40,000 labs throughout the world. It has a market potential of $200-300 million dollars and will save significant research dollars both in private companies and grant-funded non-profit labs.