Methods and apparatuses for stretching polymers
US6696022B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 11, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T436/143333
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides structures and methods that allow polymers of any length, including nucleic acids containing entire genomes, to be stretched into a long, linear conformation for further analysis. The present invention also provides structures and methods for selecting and stretching polymers based on their lengths. Polymers are loaded into a device and run through the structures. Stretching is achieved by, e.g., applying shear forces as the polymer passes through the structures, placing obstacles in the path of the polymer, or a combination thereof. Since multiple molecules may be stretched in succession, extremely high throughput screening, e.g., screening of more than one molecule per second, is achieved.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.