Elution device for gel electrophoresis

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 in which said electrophoresis separation gel specimen is obtained by cutting transversely an elongated flat slab of electrophoresis separation gel having longitudinally spaced bands of solutes therein to obtain a specimen of lesser length than said slab and containing only a portion of said bands, orienting said specimen vertically and placing the buffer solutions in contact only with a vertically extending elution area of said specimen.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 1 in which said electrophoresis separation gel specimen is obtained by cutting lengthwise an elongated cylindrical electrophoresis separation gel having longitudinally spaced bands of solutes therein, orienting said specimen vertically and placing the buffer solutions in contact with a horizontally extending elution area of said specimen.

Claim 5

An elution device for eluting solute from an electrophoresis separation gel, comprising: first and second containers each having a cavity therein for receiving a buffer solution and an electrode disposed in each cavity, means defining a recess for holding an elongated, thin electrophoresis separation gel between said containers and in sealed relationship therewith, and means defining a pair of laterally aligned, through, elution openings extending from opposite lateral sides of said recess to the respective cavities, said elution openings having at least one surface dimension which is shorter than the corresponding surface dimension of said recess so that a zone of limited area of said recess communicates directly through said elution openings with said cavities so that the solute present in the corresponding zone of an electrophoresis separation gel disposed in said cavity can be eluted into one of said buffer solutions by energizing the electrodes to apply a potential gradient transversely across the gel.

Claim 6

An elution device for eluting solute from an electrophoresis separation gel, comprising: first and second containers each having a cavity therein for receiving a buffer solution and an electrode disposed in each cavity, means defining a recess for holding an elongated, thin electrophoresis separation gel between said containers and in sealed relationship therewith, and means defining a pair of laterally aligned, through, elution openings extending from opposite lateral sides of said recess to the respective cavities, said elution openings having at least one surface dimension which is shorter than the corresponding surface dimension of said recess so that a zone of limited area of said recess communicates directly through said elution openings with said cavities so that the solute present in the corresponding zone of an electrophoresis separation gel disposed in said cavity can be eluted into one of said buffer solutions by energizing the electrodes to apply a potential gradient transversely across the gel.

Claim 7

An elution device for eluting solute from an electrophoresis separation gel, comprising: first and second containers having first and second internal cavities for receiving buffer solutions therewithin, said first and second containers having mutually opposed walls with said opposed walls each having elution opening means of limited area extending therethrough from the associated cavity thereof; means defining an elongated, thin recess for holding an electrophoresis separation gel specimen containing at least one band of solute therein between said containers and in sealed relationship therewith, both said elution opening means in said opposed walls being of smaller size than said recess and being disposed so that at least portions of both said elution opening means are open to the opposite lateral surfaces of the same zone of limited area of said recess to provide a direct flow path from one cavity to the other cavity transversely through said zone and both said elution opening means, so that the solute in the corresponding zone of an electrophoresis separation gel specimen in said recess is adapted to contact the buffer solutions in the cavities so that the solute can be transferred into one of said solutions; and an electrode disposed in each cavity in association with said elution opening means therein, whereby a potential gradient can be imposed between said electrodes and through said zone for eluting the solute in said zone of the gel specimen transversely into one of said buffer solutions.

Claim 8

An elution device for eluting solute from an electrophoresis separation gel, comprising: first and second containers having first and second internal cavities for receiving buffer solutions therewithin, said first and second containers having mutually opposed walls with said opposed walls each having elution opening means of limited area extending therethrough from the associated cavity thereof; means defining an elongated, thin recess for holding an electrophoresis separation gel specimen containing at least one band of solute therein between said containers and in sealed relationship therewith, both said elution opening means in said opposed walls being of smaller size than said recess and being disposed so that at least portions of both said elution opening means are open to the opposite lateral surfaces of the same zone of limited area of said recess to provide a direct flow path from one cavity to the other cavity transversely through said zone and both said elution opening means, so that the solute in the corresponding zone of an electrophoresis separation gel specimen in said recess is adapted to contact the buffer solutions in the cavities so that the solute can be transferred into one of said solutions; and an electrode disposed in each cavity in association with said elution opening means therein, whereby a potential gradient can be imposed between said electrodes and through said zone for eluting the solute in said zone of the gel specimen transversely into one of said buffer solutions.

Claim 9

An elution device as claimed in claim 5 in which said opposed walls are defined by a pair of elution windows disposed between said recess and said cavities, respectively, said elution windows each having an elution slot therethrough and defining said elution opening means, said slot having one dimension smaller than a corresponding one dimension of said recess, said elution slots in said elution windows being in direct axial alignment with each other.

Claim 10

An elution device as claimed in claim 5 in which said means defining said recess comprises a U-shaped spacer plate disposed between the opposing surfaces of said walls.

Claim 11

An elution device as claimed in claim 6 in which said means defining said recess comprises a spacer element disposed between said elution windows, said spacer element having a gel specimen-receiving recess therein.

Claim 12

An elution device as claimed in claim 6 in which each of said containers is comprised of a pair of side walls, a bottom wall and an end wall defining a cavity which is open along the inner side of said container, the associated elution window being engaged in fluid-tight relationship with the inner side of said container and substantially closing the open side of said cavity.

Claim 13

An elution device as claimed in claim 9 in which said first and second containers and said elution windows are secured together with the open sides of said cavities facing and being axially aligned with each other and said elution windows are disposed between said open sides with their elution slots in axial alignment with the open sides of said cavities.

Claim 14

An elution device as claimed in claim 10 in which each electrode comprises an elongated generally U-shaped electrically conductive member symmetrically disposed with respect to the elution slot in the associated elution window.

Claim 15

An elution device as claimed in claim 11 including internal cooling conduit means in said containers for cooling the contents of said cavities.

Claim 16

An elution device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said elution windows are plate-like members abutting against the inner sides of said containers, said elution windows having bosses projecting partway into said cavities and closing the open sides thereof, said slots being formed between the edges of said bosses.

Claim 17

An elution device as claimed in claim 6 in which said means defining said recess is formed in at least one of the opposing surfaces of said elution windows.