Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique

Université Pierre Et Marie Curie (Paris 6)

Ecole Normale Superieure

Sorbonne Université

Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7

Paris Sciences Et Lettres-quartier Latin

Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique-cnrs

Universite Paris Cité

Paris Sciences Et Lettres

Université Pierre Et Marie Curie

Jean-François Allemand

Vincent Croquette

David Bensimon

Fang-Yuan Ding

Maria Manosas

Jimmy Ouellet

Thibault Vieille

Charles Andre

Gordon Hamilton

Thibault Vielle

Harold Gouet

The invention proposes a device for analyzing nucleic acid molecules (M), comprising: —a bead (), on which one molecule can be anchored at one end, —a surface (), on which the molecule can be anchored at the other end, —an actuator (), adapted to cause the bead to move relative to said surface in one direction, —a sensor (), adapted to measure a distance between the bead and the surface, the device further comprising a well (), having an axis (X-X) extending along the direction of motion of the bead and a bottom () formed by said surface, said well being filled with electrically conductive solution (), and receiving the bead, the sensor being adapted to measure an impedance of the well, depending on a distance between the bead and the surface, to determine, the distance between the bead and the surface.

Device for the analysis of nucleic acid molecules

The invention proposes a device for analyzing nucleic acid molecules (M), comprising: &#x2014;a bead (), on which one molecule can be anchored at one end, &#x2014;a surface (), on which the molecule can be anchored at the other end, &#x2014;an actuator (), adapted to cause the bead to move relative to said surface in one direction, &#x2014;a sensor (), adapted to measure a distance between the bead and the surface, the device further comprising a well (), having an axis (X-X) extending along the direction of motion of the bead and a bottom () formed by said surface, said well being filled with electrically conductive solution (), and receiving the bead, the sensor being adapted to measure an impedance of the well, depending on a distance between the bead and the surface, to determine, the distance between the bead and the surface.

The invention relates to an optical device for measuring the position of an object along a first axis, the object being subjected to light radiations emitted by a light source. The optical device comprises: an imaging system comprising an objective for collecting light radiations diffused by the object, the imaging system having an optical axis extending parallel to the first axis; a transmission mask having at least a first aperture and a second aperture, the first aperture and second aperture being spaced from each other along a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis, the transmission mask being arranged so as to let a first part of the radiations and a second part of the radiations which are diffused by the object pass through the first aperture and the second aperture respectively, while blocking a part of the radiations emitted by the light source which is not diffused by the object; and a detector adapted for generating an image including a first spot and a second spot representative of the first part and second part of the radiations impacting the detector plane, wherein variation of the position of the object relative to the object plane of the imaging system along the first axis causes variation of a position of the first spot and of the second spot relative to each other along the second axis.

Optical device for measuring the position of an object

The present invention relates to a method for determining whether a protein binds to a specific DNA sequence. This method is useful in particular for identifying modifications to the DNA sequence (e.g. methylations) via the binding of proteins that specifically recognize those modifications (e.g. antibodies), but also to identify the binding sequence on DNA of a variety of proteins.

Process for detection of DNA modifications and protein binding by a single molecule manipulation

The present invention relates to a method for the determination of a nucleic acid sequence by physical manipulation. In particular, the said method comprises the steps of denaturing a double-stranded nucleic acid molecule corresponding to the said nucleic acid sequence by applying a physical force to the said molecule; and detecting a blockage of the renaturation of the double-stranded nucleic acid molecule. More specifically, the method comprises the steps of denaturing a double-stranded nucleic acid molecule corresponding to the said nucleic acid sequence by applying a physical force to the said molecule; providing a single-stranded nucleic acid molecule; renaturing the said double stranded nucleic acid molecule in the presence of the said single-stranded nucleic acid molecule; and detecting a blockage of the renaturation of the double-stranded nucleic acid.

Method of DNA sequencing by hybridisation

The present invention relates to a fast method for the detection and the quantification of a nucleic acid, DNA or RNA. Specifically, the invention provides a method for detecting and quantifying the presence of a specific nucleic acid molecule which is based on physical and electronic treatments. The method of the invention is particularly useful for applications as diverse as detection of chromosomal abnormal distributions or gene expression analysis.

Method of DNA detection and quantification by single-molecule hybridization and manipulation

The present invention relates to a method for the determination of a nucleic acid sequence by physical manipulation. The method is based on the precise determination of the localization of the replicating fork on the template by measuring the physical distance between one end of the molecule and the fork. This allows the determination of the physical location of the site where a pause or a blockage of the replication occurs, and deducing therefrom information on the sequence of the nucleic acid.

Method of DNA sequencing by polymerisation

Described herein is a method for determining a nucleic acid sequence, said method comprising: a) denaturing a double-stranded nucleic acid molecule corresponding to the said nucleic acid sequence by applying a physical force to the said molecule; b) providing a single-stranded nucleic acid molecule; c) renaturing the said double stranded nucleic acid molecule in the presence of the said single-stranded nucleic acid molecule; and d) detecting a blockage of the renaturation of the double-stranded nucleic acid.

Described herein is a method for determining a nucleic acid sequence, said method comprising: a) denaturing a double-stranded nucleic acid molecule corresponding to the said nucleic acid sequence; b) hybridizing a single-stranded nucleic acid molecule, the primer, with the said denatured double-stranded nucleic acid molecule; c) applying a tension to the hybridized primer/double-stranded nucleic acid molecule obtained in b); d) incubating the hybridized primer/double-stranded nucleic acid molecule obtained in b) with a polymerase in conditions which will lead to at least one pause in replication; and e) determining a position of the said pause in replication with respect to one end of the double-stranded nucleic acid.

Growing community of inventors

Bourg la Reine, France

Jean-François Allemand