Method to determine the throughput speed of a pore

A method to determine the throughput speed v of a pore, comprising the steps of:

• feeding, by means of a driving force F, a filiform calibration element through the pore, the calibration element having a plurality of markers spaced apart by known distances and configured to produce an interaction event that transmits a signal away from the pore upon interaction with the pore;
• detecting a plurality of interaction events;
• determining a time interval At between successive interaction events, and/or a frequency ω of interaction events;
• and
• detecting at least one increase in the mechanical resistance that the filiform calibration element experiences when moving through the pore as an interaction event.

A method to determine the throughput speed v of a pore, comprising the steps of:

• feeding, by means of a driving force F, a filiform calibration element through the pore, the calibration element having a plurality of markers spaced apart by known distances and configured to produce an interaction event that transmits a signal away from the pore upon interaction with the pore;
• detecting a plurality of interaction events;
• determining a time interval Δt between successive interaction events, and/or a frequency ω of interaction events;
• and
• measuring an intensity of light that is emitted from a marker with a detector outside the pore, and
• detecting at least one change of the intensity as an interaction event.

A method to determine the throughput speed v of a pore, comprising the steps of:

• feeding, by means of a driving force F, a filiform calibration element through the pore, the calibration element having a plurality of markers spaced apart by known distances and configured to produce an interaction event that transmits a signal away from the pore upon interaction with the pore;
• detecting a plurality of interaction events;
• determining a time interval At between successive interaction events, and/or a frequency ω of interaction events;
• and
• wherein the feeding a filiform calibration element specifically comprises:
• contacting the pore with a liquid solution comprising a plurality of filiform calibration elements.

A method to determine the throughput speed v of a pore, comprising the steps of:

• feeding, by means of a driving force F, a filiform calibration element through the pore, the calibration element having a plurality of markers spaced apart by known distances and configured to produce an interaction event that transmits a signal away from the pore upon interaction with the pore;
• detecting a plurality of interaction events;
• determining a time interval At between successive interaction events, and/or a frequency ω of interaction events;
• and
• wherein the driving force F specifically comprises one or more of:
• a pressure gradient, a concentration gradient, and an electrostatic force.

A filiform calibration element, the filiform calibration element comprising:

• a strand;
• a plurality of light sources coupled to the strand,
• wherein the filiform calibration element is configured to pass through a pore of at most 5 μm diameter,
• wherein the plurality of light sources are configured to absorb excitation light of a first wavelength λ1 and to emit light of a second wavelength λ2 in response to the excitation light, as markers,
• wherein the light sources are quantum dots, and
• wherein the strand is a DNA strand with at least one sticky end, at least one quantum dot is coupled to a counterpart of the sticky end by means of a thiol group, and the counterpart is attached to the sticky end of the DNA strand.

A filiform calibration element, the filiform calibration element comprising:

• a strand;
• a plurality of light sources coupled to the strand,
• wherein the plurality of light sources are configured to absorb excitation light of a first wavelength λ1 and to emit light of a second wavelength λ2 in response to the excitation light, as markers, and
• wherein the filiform calibration element is configured to pass through a pore of at most 200 nm diameter.

A filiform calibration element, the filiform calibration element comprising:

• a strand;
• a plurality of light sources coupled to the strand,
• wherein the filiform calibration element is configured to pass through a pore of at most 5 μm diameter,
• wherein the plurality of light sources are configured to absorb excitation light of a first wavelength λ1 and to emit light of a second wavelength λ2 in response to the excitation light, as markers, and
• wherein the filiform calibration element is further functionalized to be electronegative, so as to facilitate the driving of the filiform calibration element through the pore by means of an electrostatic driving force F.

A liquid solution as a tool for determining the throughput speed v of at least one pore, comprising:

• a solvent and a plurality of filiform calibration elements comprising:
• a strand;
• a plurality of light sources coupled to the strand,
• wherein the filiform calibration element is configured to pass through a pore of at most 5 μm diameter, and
• wherein the plurality of light sources are configured to absorb excitation light of a first wavelength λ1 and to emit light of a second wavelength λ2 in response to the excitation light, as markers.