{"title":"Mechanical actuation on surface (MAOS) microfluidics: compression for preparation in next-generation sequencing.","authors":"Parimala Nagaraja, Rohit Lal, Cheng-Chang Lee, Eduardo Cervantes, Foteini Christodoulou, Mais J Jebrail","doi":"10.1039/d5lc00625b","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We present mechanical actuation on surface (MAOS), a programmable microfluidic platform that manipulates droplets <i>via</i> localized mechanical compression-eliminating the need for embedded electronics or fixed microchannel geometries. MAOS integrates essential fluidic operations-including droplet transport, magnetic bead-based purification, and thermal cycling-within a benchtop instrument and single-use cartridge. The system accommodates droplet volumes from nL to μL, enabling precise control over sequential biochemical processes. By studying the dynamic behavior of diverse fluids under compression, we identified the key physical variables-surface tension, contact angle, and viscosity-that dictate the onset of droplet motion. We observed sharp transitions in mobility around specific thresholds and validated interfacial encapsulation as a general strategy to overcome resistive pinning. We validated MAOS by first implementing and testing miniaturized next-generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation sub-processes. Magnetic bead-based cleanup showed DNA recovery and fragment size selection comparable to manual methods, and PCR amplification was carried out reliably in low-volume (5 μL) reactions with minimal evaporation. Subsequently, the full NGS library preparation workflow was executed in a plexed format, processing eight libraries in parallel on a single disposable cartridge using as little as 10% of standard reagent volumes. Short- and long-read sequencing outputs from MAOS libraries aligned with manual protocols across key quality metrics. These results establish MAOS as a scalable and user-friendly alternative to conventional microfluidics, suitable for diverse applications in molecular biology, chemistry, and high-throughput workflows.</p>","PeriodicalId":85,"journal":{"name":"Lab on a Chip","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Lab on a Chip","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5lc00625b","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH METHODS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We present mechanical actuation on surface (MAOS), a programmable microfluidic platform that manipulates droplets via localized mechanical compression-eliminating the need for embedded electronics or fixed microchannel geometries. MAOS integrates essential fluidic operations-including droplet transport, magnetic bead-based purification, and thermal cycling-within a benchtop instrument and single-use cartridge. The system accommodates droplet volumes from nL to μL, enabling precise control over sequential biochemical processes. By studying the dynamic behavior of diverse fluids under compression, we identified the key physical variables-surface tension, contact angle, and viscosity-that dictate the onset of droplet motion. We observed sharp transitions in mobility around specific thresholds and validated interfacial encapsulation as a general strategy to overcome resistive pinning. We validated MAOS by first implementing and testing miniaturized next-generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation sub-processes. Magnetic bead-based cleanup showed DNA recovery and fragment size selection comparable to manual methods, and PCR amplification was carried out reliably in low-volume (5 μL) reactions with minimal evaporation. Subsequently, the full NGS library preparation workflow was executed in a plexed format, processing eight libraries in parallel on a single disposable cartridge using as little as 10% of standard reagent volumes. Short- and long-read sequencing outputs from MAOS libraries aligned with manual protocols across key quality metrics. These results establish MAOS as a scalable and user-friendly alternative to conventional microfluidics, suitable for diverse applications in molecular biology, chemistry, and high-throughput workflows.
期刊介绍:
Lab on a Chip is the premiere journal that publishes cutting-edge research in the field of miniaturization. By their very nature, microfluidic/nanofluidic/miniaturized systems are at the intersection of disciplines, spanning fundamental research to high-end application, which is reflected by the broad readership of the journal. Lab on a Chip publishes two types of papers on original research: full-length research papers and communications. Papers should demonstrate innovations, which can come from technical advancements or applications addressing pressing needs in globally important areas. The journal also publishes Comments, Reviews, and Perspectives.