Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis in an integrated polycarbonate microsystem

We have demonstrated for the first time temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) in an integrated polycarbonate microfluidic system. The temperature gradient was controlled by sensors and heaters lithographically patterned directly on the polycarbonate substrate. Integrating micro heaters and sensors on the substrate requires significantly less power and allows faster response times compared with previously demonstrated macro-scale heaters, providing for highly efficient control of the temperature gradient. The ability of this platform to perform DNA mutational analyses by TGGE using a spatial temperature gradient is demonstrated.