US Genomics, Inc.

Pathogenetix, Inc.

Lance C Gleich

Eugene Y Chan

Parris S Wellman

The present invention provides structures and methods that allow polymers of any length, including nucleic acids containing entire genomes, to be stretched into a long, linear conformation for further analysis. The present invention also provides structures and methods for selecting and stretching polymers based on their lengths. Polymers are loaded into a device and run through the structures. Stretching is achieved by, e.g., applying shear forces as the polymer passes through the structures, placing obstacles in the path of the polymer, or a combination thereof. Since multiple molecules may be stretched in succession, extremely high throughput screening, e.g., screening of more than one molecule per second, is achieved.

Methods and apparatuses for stretching polymers

A method for determining the length and velocity of single elongated macromolecules is disclosed. In particular, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for determining the velocity of elongated polymeric molecules moving relative to one or more detection stations, as well as to methods and apparatus for determining the length of such molecules and the distance between landmarks that may be present on such molecules. The invention makes use of time correlated measurements of signal amplitude profiles that result from interactions between each detection station and portions of each macromolecule.

Methods and apparatus for characterization of single polymers

The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for characterization of single polymers. In particular, the invention relates to methods and apparatuses for determination of the velocities of single elongated polymers. Center-of-mass velocity, center-to-center velocity, end-to-end velocity and rise-time velocity are determined using time-correlated measurements of single elongated polymers in two or more detection zones. The invention also relates to methods of determinating lengths and molecular masses of single polymers and to methods of determining the distance between landmarks on a single polymers based on their velocities. The invention further relates to methods of single-molecule DNA restriction fragment analysis.

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Somerville, MA, United States of America

Lance C Gleich