Methods for analyzing nucleic acid sequences

US7943307B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Cornell Research Foundation, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jonas Korlach · Camas, US
• Watt W. Webb · Ithaca, US
• Michael Levene · Ithaca, US
• Stephen Turner · Menlo Park, US
• Harold G. Craighead · Ithaca, US
• Mathieu Foquet · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 19, 2006
• Grant date: May 17, 2011
• Expiry date: Jan 19, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/143333
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of sequencing a target nucleic acid. The method provides a complex comprising a polymerase enzyme, a target nucleic acid molecule, and a primer, wherein the complex is immobilized on a support Fluorescent label is attached to a terminal phosphate group of the nucleotide or nucleotide analog. The growing nucleic acid strand is extended by using the polymerase to add a nucleotide analog to the nucleic acid strand. The nucleotide analog added to the oligonucleotide primer as a result of the polymerizing step is identified. The time duration of the signal from labeled nucleotides or nucleotide analogs that become incorporated is distinguished from freely diffusing labels by a longer retention in the observation volume for the nucleotides or nucleotide analogs that become incorporated than for the freely diffusing labels.