Systems and methods for forming a nanopore in a lipid bilayer
AssigneeRoche Sequencing Solutions, Inc.
InventorsRoger J. A. Chen, Randy Davis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for forming a nanopore in a lipid bilayer are described herein. In one example, an agitation stimulus level such as an electrical agitation stimulus is applied to a lipid bilayer wherein the agitation stimulus level tends to facilitate the formation of nanopores in the lipid bilayer. In some embodiments, a change in an electrical property of the lipid bilayer resulting from the formation of the nanopore in the lipid bilayer is detected, and a nanopore has formed in the lipid bilayer is determined based on the detected change in the lipid bilayer electrical property.
Claims7
A system for identifying a subunit of a polymeric molecule, comprising:
- a sensing circuit configured to be coupled to a nanopore;
- an electrical circuit configured to apply an electrical stimulus across the nanopore;
- and
- a processor coupled to the sensing circuit, wherein the processor is programmed to:
- control the sensing circuit to record a first electrical measurement indicative of a plurality subunits of the polymeric molecule as a strand of the polymeric molecule moves through the nanopore as a result of a first applied electrical stimulus;
- control the electrical circuit to apply a second electrical stimulus across the nanopore that is configured to translocate the polymeric molecule through the nanopore;
- control the sensing circuit to record a second electrical measurement indicative of the plurality of subunits of the polymeric molecule as the strand of the polymeric molecule moves through the nanopore as a result of the second applied electrical stimulus, wherein the second electrical measurement is a repeat electrical measurement;
- and
- identify the plurality of subunits based on the first electrical measurement wherein the repeat measurement is used to increase confidence in the identification.
A system for identifying a subunit of a polymeric molecule, the system comprising:
- a sensing circuit configured to be coupled to a nanopore;
- an electrical circuit configured to apply an electrical stimulus across the nanopore;
- and
- a processor coupled to the sensing circuit and the electrical circuit, wherein the processor is programmed to:
- control the electrical circuit to apply a first progression electrical stimulus across the nanopore, the first progression electrical stimulus having a first polarity;
- control the sensing circuit to record a first electrical measurement indicative of a plurality of subunits of the polymeric molecule as a strand of the polymeric molecule moves through the nanopore in a first direction as a result of the application of the first progression electrical stimulus;
- control the electrical circuit to apply a first reverse progression electrical stimulus across the nanopore, the first reverse progression electrical stimulus having a second polarity that is opposite of the first polarity such that the polymeric molecule moves through the nanopore in a second direction that is opposite the first direction;
- control the electrical circuit to apply a second progression electrical stimulus across the nanopore, the second progression electrical stimulus having the first polarity;
- control the sensing circuit to record a second electrical measurement indicative of the plurality of subunits of the polymeric molecule as the strand of the polymeric molecule moves through the nanopore in the first direction as a result of the application of the second progression electrical stimulus;
- and
- identify the plurality of subunits based on the first electrical measurement and the second electrical measurement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.