Method and apparatus for sequencing molecules
OwnerKeith Oxenriderinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention comprises a polymer sequencing chip. In one embodiment, an open nano channel is used in the surface of a semiconductor material or glass as a conduit for the polymer and the resulting monomers released from the polymer. As the resulting monomers pass through the nano channel, a detection device reads the sequence of monomers. Preferably, multiple micro LEDs are used to emit a signal when different monomer units pass through a region of the nano channel, such that multiply parallel sequencing operations can be conducted at the same time on a chip.
Claims16
An apparatus for sequencing polymers by determining the sequence of monomers present in the chain of molecules comprising the polymer, the apparatus comprising
- a surface material having disposed on it an open nano channel of two sides and a bottom, the gap between the two sides being large enough for a desired polymer to pass freely through but small enough to substantially prevent two or more polymers of the same size from passing freely through, and the nano channel having two ends;
- at least two microreservoirs, one at each end of the channel, the microreservoirs formed to allow a solution flow from one end of the channel to the other;
- a cleavage agent capable of cleaving the polymer to produce resulting monomers, the cleavage agent linked to one end of the channel;
- and a
- a monomer detection device positioned to detect the resulting monomers as they pass through the channel.
A DNA sequencing apparatus comprising
- a solid-state surface with an open nano channel cut into the top of the surface, the channel approximately 10 nm in width or less and about 3-5 nm in depth, and having a first and second end;
- a set of microreservoirs in the surface, the reservoirs capable of holding a solution of the DNA and causing the DNA to flow into the first end of the channel;
- a DNA cleavage agent linked to the first end of the channel and capable of cleaving the DNA into nucleotide monomers;
- and
- a detector positioned along the length of the channel for determining the presence of a nucleotide monomer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.