Micro-well Array Interface for Capillary Array Electrophoresis

Ultrahigh-throughput denaturing electrophoresis (>5000 channels) can enable rapid, low-cost mutation scans of human genomes. One design challenge for such instruments is successfully interfacing to the capillary channel array ends for loading and independently collecting DNA while enabling electrophoresis, permitting DNA detection, and preventing evaporation. A micro-well array based on tapered thru-holes was developed, both polymer and silicon-based, using unconventional laser drilling and microelectrode discharge machining processes. The devices were used to load and collect 10 fluorescently-labelled DNA primers with detection signal-to-noise ratio >7. The devices are easily scaleable to 10,000 micro-wells as required for pangenomic mutational spectrometry.