A 3D-printed hand-powered centrifuge for molecular biology
Fig 1
(A) Example of the 3D-Fuge utilized for Case Study 2, with 0.2 mL PCR tubes (VWR, USA) placed alongside for comparison. (B) Construction of the 3D-Fuge through 3D Printing. (C) 3D-Fuge utilized in Case Study 1 (rainforest in Peru), shown holding up to 4 spin-columns and flow-through tubes for nucleotide extractions. (D) Example usage of the 3D-Fuge in the field located in Southeastern Peru. (E) Comparison of long-range PCR results from human cheek swab nucleotide extractions using a standard benchtop centrifuge (left) and the 3D-Fuge (right). (F) Image of the portable lab setup, including the 3D-Fuge, the miniPCR (miniPCR) powered by an external battery pack, the MinION DNA sequencer (Oxford Nanopore Technologies, USA), and the Foldscope (Foldscope Instruments, USA). (G) Image of the 3D-Fuge utilized in Case Study 2 (high school in Atlanta, Georgia) shown holding PCR tubes (0.2 mL). (H) Usage of the 3D-Fuge in a high school. (I) Image of color output processing for data collection of chromoprotein expression. Phone captures the image of liquid culture pellets for RGB color analysis. (J) Sample illumination chamber utilized for standardized sample illumination. (KâL) Representative time evolution of the RPM and RCF of the 3D-Fuges over 2 cycles (counterclockwise and then clockwise inversion) utilized in each of the case studies. The peak RPM achieved is approximately 6,000 for both case studies. The above graphs illustrate the overall oscillatory motion of the 3D-Fuge, the change in angular velocity demonstrating the peak RPM over an interval, and the changing relative centrifugal force with a relative maximum of 2100g for Case 1, and 1,400g for Case 2, through the given average interval. Data for the graph can be found on GitHub (https://github.com/bhamla-lab/3D-fuge-PlOS-Biology-2019) in the file named Data File for 3D-Fuge Figures (2) under the sheet titled âFig 1Kâ1L.â PCR, polymerase chain reaction; RCF, relative centrifugal force; RGB, Red-Green-Blue.