A 3D-printed hand-powered centrifuge for molecular biology.

Gaurav Byagathvalli,M Saad Bhamla,Soham Sinha,Janet Standeven,Aaron Pomerantz

doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000251

Gaurav Byagathvalli, M Saad Bhamla + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000251

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Abstract

The centrifuge is an essential tool for many aspects of research and medical diagnostics. However, conventional centrifuges are often inaccessible outside of standard laboratory settings, such as remote field sites, because they require a constant external power source and can be prohibitively costly in resource-limited settings and Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-focused programs. Here we present the 3D-Fuge, a 3D-printed hand-powered centrifuge, as a novel alternative to standard benchtop centrifuges. Based on the design principles of a paper-based centrifuge, this 3D-printed instrument increases the volume capacity to 2 mL and can reach hand-powered centrifugation speeds up to 6,000 rpm. The 3D-Fuge devices presented here are capable of centrifugation of a wide variety of different solutions such as spinning down samples for biomarker applications and performing nucleotide extractions as part of a portable molecular lab setup. We introduce the design and proof-of-principle trials that demonstrate the utility of low-cost 3D-printed centrifuges for use in remote field biology and educational settings.

Highlights

The string used in this study was the Dorisea Extreme Braid 500 lb 2.0 mm Fishing Line, purchasing 300m at a cost of approximately $40 as of March 2018
For DNA extraction comparisons in the lab, a benchtop centrifuge (Eppendorf model 5414 D) was used and each centrifugation step was performed at 13,000 rpm for 1 minute
Solid tissues collected in the field were lysed and added to a microcentrifuge tube with 95 μL of water, 95 μL of solid tissue buffer, and 10 μL of proteinase K for 1-3 hours. 400 μL of Genomic Binding Buffer was added to the supernatant and transferred to a Zymo-spin Column in a collection tube

Summary

Introduction

The string used in this study was the Dorisea Extreme Braid 500 lb 2.0 mm Fishing Line, purchasing 300m at a cost of approximately $40 as of March 2018. The 3-D centrifuge was used to perform DNA extractions using the Quick-DNA Miniprep Plus kit (Zymo Research) according to the protocol. For DNA extraction comparisons in the lab, a benchtop centrifuge (Eppendorf model 5414 D) was used and each centrifugation step was performed at 13,000 rpm for 1 minute. Solid tissues collected in the field were lysed and added to a microcentrifuge tube with 95 μL of water, 95 μL of solid tissue buffer, and 10 μL of proteinase K for 1-3 hours.

Results

Conclusion