Rapid polymer sequencer

US8494782B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) · US

Inventors

• Viktor Stolc · Cupertino, US
• Matthew W Brock · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 21, 2011
• Grant date: Jul 23, 2013
• Expiry date: Apr 21, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12Q1/6869
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Method and system for rapid and accurate determination of each of a sequence of unknown polymer components, such as nucleic acid components. A self-assembling monolayer of a selected substance is optionally provided on an interior surface of a pipette tip, and the interior surface is immersed in a selected liquid. A selected electrical field is impressed in a longitudinal direction, or in a transverse direction, in the tip region, a polymer sequence is passed through the tip region, and a change in an electrical current signal is measured as each polymer component passes through the tip region. Each of the measured changes in electrical current signals is compared with a database of reference electrical change signals, with each reference signal corresponding to an identified polymer component, to identify the unknown polymer component with a reference polymer component. The nanopore preferably has a pore inner diameter of no more than about 40 nm and is prepared by heating and pulling a very small section of a glass tubing.