Systems and methods for measurement and sequencing of bio-molecules

A method for sequencing a sample nucleic acid, comprising:

• (a) using a polymerase adjacent to two electrodes on a substrate to bind a nucleotide to a complementary base of the sample nucleic acid, the nucleotide having a tunneling label attached thereto;
• (b) measuring a tunneling current between the two electrodes caused by a localization of the tunneling label to the two electrodes;
• and
• (c) using at least the tunneling current measured in (b) to identify the complementary base.

An apparatus for sequencing a sample nucleic acid, comprising:

• two electrodes disposed on a substrate separated by a non-conductive gap;
• wherein the two electrodes and the non-conductive gap are configured to accommodate a polymerase in adjacent to the two electrodes, which polymerase binds a nucleotide to a complementary base of the sample nucleic acid, the nucleotide having a tunneling label attached thereto;
• and
• wherein the two electrodes are configured to measure a tunneling current between the two electrodes caused by a localization of the tunneling label to the two electrodes.

A method comprising:

• (a) using a polymerase adjacent to two electrodes on a substrate to bind a nucleobase having an tunneling label attached thereto, said nucleobase complementary to an interrogated base of a sample nucleic acid;
• (b) measuring a current signal comprising a combination of at least one tunneling current and at least one hopping current between the two electrodes caused by localization of the tunneling label to the two electrodes;
• and
• (c) identifying a matching nucleobase on a single stranded portion of the sample nucleic acid based at least in part on the measured current signal.