DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EXTRACTING BIOMOLECULES

Abstract

A device for extracting biomolecules includes a membrane tube and a container. The membrane tube has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion has an open end and the lower portion contains permeable membranes and also has an open end. The container has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion has an open end, allowing the membrane tube to be pushed into the container and form a liquid-tight seal between the membrane tube and the container, and the lower portion has a closed end.

Claims

1. A device for extracting biomolecules, comprising: a membrane tube, comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an upper opening, the lower portion accommodating a permeable membrane, and having a lower opening; a container, comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an opening allowing the membrane tube to be pushed into the opening of the upper portion of the container, and a liquid-tight seal is formed between the membrane tube and the container, the lower portion of the container has a closed end.

2. A method for extracting biomolecules using a membrane tube, comprising: adding an appropriate amount of liquid to the container according to claim 1; pushing the membrane tube according to claim 1 into the container, whereby the liquid in the container flows through the permeable membrane and enters into the membrane tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a membrane tube;

[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a container;

[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates the state of the container filled with liquid; and

[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates the state in which the membrane tube is pushed into the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The device for extracting biomolecules of the present invention includes a membrane tube 10 and a container 20. FIGS. 1 and 2 show the membrane tube 10 and the container 20, respectively.

[0013] The membrane tube 10 is a common device used in the process of extracting biomolecules, and is roughly the shape of a round tube, and comprises an upper portion 11 and a lower portion 12. The upper portion 11 has an upper opening 13, and the lower portion 12 contains permeable membranes 14, and has a lower opening 15.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows a container 20. The container 20 is also roughly tubular, and comprises an upper portion 21 and a lower portion 22. The upper portion 21 of the container has an opening 23, and the lower portion 22 has a closed end 24.

[0015] When the device is used, liquid is added to the container 20 (see FIG. 3), and the membrane tube 10 is pushed into the container 20 (see FIG. 4). The liquid in the container 20 is squeezed by the membrane tube 10 to pass through the lower opening 15 of the membrane tube 10 and the permeable membrane 14 and flow into the membrane tube 10.

[0016] The membrane tube 10 is configured to adapt to the container 20 so that when it is pushed into the container 20, the interface therebetween must be liquid-tight, and the liquid in the container 20 will not leak through the interface, but will flow through the opening 15 in the lower portion of the membrane tube and through the permeable membrane 14 and enter the membrane tube 10.

[0017] The use of the above-mentioned membrane tube 10 and container 20 to extract biomolecules is more suitable for automation than conventional methods. In the recovery procedure of extracting biomolecules, dissolving solution is added into the container 20, and then the membrane tube 10, which contains the permeable membrane 14, is pushed into the container 20 through the upper opening 23 of the container 20. Since it is liquid-tight between the container 20 and the membrane tube 10, the liquid in the container 20 is squeezed by the membrane tube 10 to pass through the lower opening 15 of the membrane tube 10 and the permeable membrane 14, and enter the membrane tube 10.

[0018] The present invention is very different from the traditional method in the recovery process. In the traditional method, the dissolving solution is added to the membrane tube; the dissolving solution can detach the biomolecules from the membrane, and then a force (such as centrifugal force or air pressure) is applied to push the dissolving solution out of the membrane tube. A container is provided to receive the dissolving solution that contains the biomolecules to achieve the purpose of recovering target biomolecules. In the method of the present invention, the dissolving liquid is added to the container 20, and then the membrane tube 10 is pushed into the container 20 from the upper opening 23 of the container 20. The solution in the container 20 is thereby squeezed by the membrane tube 10 and flows through the lower opening 15 of the membrane tube 10, the permeable membrane 14, and then into the membrane tube 10. The dissolving liquid (i.e., the recovery liquid) passing through the permeable membrane 14 will be contained in the membrane tube 10; therefore, it is unnecessary to use a centrifuge or a vacuum pump device to collect the dissolving liquid in another new container, and thus the implementation and operation of automation can be simplified. The method of extracting biomolecules from membrane tubes is easier to implement on an automated machine.

[0019] The content of the present invention described above is only one of the possible ways to implement the present invention Modifications, replacements, and combinations made for the above-mentioned embodiments can be easily completed by those skilled in the art in the field of the present invention and are within the scope of the inventive concept.