JP2002214227A - Method for preserving biopolymer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for preserving a biopolymer, and an apparatus for performing the same. SOLUTION: A specimen containing the biopolymer is held by a holding means and a means freezing a large number of the specimens to house them is provided. Further, one specimen is selectively taken out from a large number of the specimens and a part thereof is cut off to be subjected to experimentation while the remainder thereof is re-housed in a preserving apparatus without being passed through a freezing stage. A part of the specimen in the apparatus is cut and only a cut fragment is taken out to be subjected to experimentation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for preserving a biopolymer and an apparatus for implementing the method. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for preserving a biopolymer containing a nucleic acid, a protein composed of amino acids, and the like, and an apparatus for implementing the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to store nucleic acids, proteins, and the like, samples have been frozen and stored in a sealed container in a state of being separated into solvents. When the amount of individual storage is small and the number of samples is large, cryopreservation can be performed using a plate having 96 or 384 small depression-shaped storage locations, or storage can be performed per piece. When the capacity was large, it was stored in a test tube-shaped container and stored frozen. Further, when the stored sample is used, the sample is taken out of the storage device, the whole is thawed, and a part of the liquefied sample is taken out and used. The remaining samples were re-frozen and returned to storage.

[0003]

However, as described above, since a necessary sample is once taken out, thawed and taken out, and the rest is re-frozen and returned to the storage device, various bacteria or the like may enter the sample, Repeated freezing and thawing caused irreversible damage to biopolymers. The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and aims to provide a means for efficiently removing a biopolymer sample without applying unnecessary stress to the sample.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention relates to a method for preserving a biopolymer. The sample containing the biopolymer is held by holding means for saving. Further, a means for storing a large number of samples thus prepared by freezing them is provided. Further, one sample is selectively taken out from a plurality of samples, and a part of the sample is cut off for use in an experiment. The rest is restored to the storage device without going through the decompression stage. Alternatively, a part is cut in the apparatus, and only the cut fragment is taken out and used for the experiment. According to the above means, the following effects can be obtained.

[0005] Since the support is one-dimensional, it is possible to extract only the necessary amount by thawing and using it. In addition, since the remaining portion is returned to the storage device without thawing or cut and taken out in the device, the stress of the temperature cycle due to freezing and thawing on the remaining sample can be reduced. In addition, since it remains frozen, there is an effect that the possibility of contamination by various bacteria can be reduced.

[0006]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show an example of an embodiment of the present invention. In the drawings, portions denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the drawings represent the same components. FIG. 1 includes a support 11 filled with a biopolymer sample, a storage box 10 for storing the support, and a cool box 12 for cooling and cooling the whole. FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a support 11 filled with a biopolymer sample. 1
1a is a support, and 11b is a filler filled with a sample containing a biopolymer.

Next, the operation of the illustrated example will be described. First, a biopolymer including a nucleic acid, a protein composed of an amino acid, or the like, or a biopolymer such as an entire cell is mixed with a filler, and the support 11 is filled. Support 11
For example, a resin or a glass tube is used. The filler only needs to be appropriately viscous. For example, in this embodiment, an agarose gel, a polyacrylamide gel, or the like is used. In addition, any material having a mesh structure or a viscous material can be used. The gel is usually used in a state containing water, but if necessary, a gel replaced with DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) or glycerol can be used. It may be in a state dried by freeze-drying or the like.

[0008] A plurality of supports filled with the respective biopolymers are stored in the storage box 10 side by side. Further, the entire storage box is cooled in the cool box 12 and frozen.

Next, a case where a part of a sample is to be taken out and used will be described. The support containing the target sample is taken out of the storage box 10. The sample remains frozen
A part of the end is cut, and the rest is returned to the cool box 12.
The cut fragments are thawed and subjected to experiments. The remaining sample is returned to the cool box before melting. By doing so, it is possible to cut out only the required amount and take it out, and the rest is frozen and returned to the storage box, so that it is difficult for bacteria to be mixed in, and propagation can be suppressed as much as possible and storage can be continued.

Further, by providing an automatic removing device and a cutting device in front of the storage box 10, it becomes possible to take out a necessary sample without any manual operation.

FIG. 3 shows a container for storing cut fragments and a method for taking in sample fragments. The support 11 taken out of the storage box 10 is inserted such that one end enters the container 13 as shown in FIG. Next, the main body 13a of the container 13 and the lid 13b are engaged with each other, and the support 11 is cut by applying a rotation as shown at 14 as necessary. The cut pieces enter the inside of the main body 13a of the container 13.

In this method, it is not necessary to provide a cutting means on the side of the cool box 12. In addition, only the container 13 supports the support 11.
Is advantageous in that the cut surface can be prevented from being contaminated with a specific biopolymer. of course,
Cooling box 1 with means for cleaning the cut surface
2 may have a cutting means.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a lid portion of the fragment container. Hard resin or metal is used for the lid portion 13b. The support body 10 filled with the biopolymer is cut by using a portion that engages with the container body 13a.

In the biopolymer preservation method of the present invention, a cylindrical support is taken as an example. However, a method in which a filler is used and a filler is entangled outside the support using a thread-like or rod-like support is also available. It is possible. Although the storage box is formed in a straight line, a flexible material that can be deformed is used for a support or the like, so that it is possible to adopt a method of winding the storage box into a thread shape.

[0015]

As described above, according to the method for storing biopolymers according to the first to third aspects of the present invention, specific samples are individually taken out while a large number of biopolymer samples are stored frozen. Some samples can be fragmented and removed without the thawing step. In addition, since the remaining sample can be returned to a cool state while being frozen, it is less likely to be contaminated by bacteria and other impurities. Further, since the number of freeze-thaw cycles can be reduced, there is an excellent effect that damage to biopolymers can be minimized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a support filled with a biopolymer.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for cutting a part of a support filled with a biopolymer to obtain a container.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional shape of a lid of a fragment container for taking in a cut portion of a support filled with a biopolymer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 storage box 11 support 12 cold box 13 fragment storage container

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A support formed in a one-dimensional shape such as a rod or a thread, holding means for holding a biopolymer on the support, and a plurality of the supports holding the biopolymer. And a means for freezing the stored support, and a means for selecting and removing one of the stored supports from the plurality of stored supports. . 2. A plurality of supports each of which is formed in a one-dimensional shape such as a rod or a thread, holding means for holding the biopolymer on the support, and a plurality of the supports which hold the biopolymer. Means for freezing the stored support, and means for selecting one support from the plurality of stored supports and cutting and removing a part of the support. To preserve biopolymers. 3. A container for cutting biopolymer fragments, comprising means for cutting the biopolymer support according to claim 1 and 2 to obtain fragments thereof.