DNA sequencing

Claim 1

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; moving a scanning means with a carriage assembly a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of the plurality of channels; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor mounted to the carriage assembly, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan.

Claim 2

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; moving a scanning means with a carriage assembly a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of the plurality of channels; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor mounted to the carriage assembly, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan.

Claim 3

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan; said step of focusing at one location including the step of adjusting the focal point of a lens of the microscope and the step of focusing at the other point including the step of adjusting the distance between the gel and the microscope.

Claim 4

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan; said step of focusing at one location including the step of adjusting the focal point of a lens of the microscope and the step of focusing at the other point including the step of adjusting the distance between the gel and the microscope.

Claim 6

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan; the step of focusing in said one location including the step of adjusting the focal point of a lens and the step of focusing at said at least one other location including the step of refocusing the lens at a distance no more than ten inches from said first location, said steps of focusing including at least two other further steps of focusing by adjusting the lens of the microscope.

Claim 7

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan; the step of focusing in said one location including the step of adjusting the focal point of a lens and the step of focusing at said at least one other location including the step of refocusing the lens at a distance no more than ten inches from said first location, said steps of focusing including at least two other further steps of focusing by adjusting the lens of the microscope.

Claim 8

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA: said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan; the step of focusing including the step of locating a first and second glass plate by the amount of fluorescence emitted by the glass plates and focusing on the gel between the plates by detecting a different amount of fluorescence in the gel.

Claim 9

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA: said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan; the step of focusing including the step of locating a first and second glass plate by the amount of fluorescence emitted by the glass plates and focusing on the gel between the plates by detecting a different amount of fluorescence in the gel.

Claim 11

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan to scan same, wherein a plurality of readings of data are taken at a plurality of different points in a scan and those readings averaged.

Claim 12

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan to scan same, wherein a plurality of readings of data are taken at a plurality of different points in a scan and those readings averaged.

Claim 13

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan to scan same, wherein data from said scan is directly used to amplitude modulate density readings on a display; said scan is displayed in a vertical sweep of a cathode ray tube, whereby said cathode ray tube provides intensity displays of bands representing DNA.

Claim 14

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan to scan same, wherein data from said scan is directly used to amplitude modulate density readings on a display; said scan is displayed in a vertical sweep of a cathode ray tube, whereby said cathode ray tube provides intensity displays of bands representing DNA.

Claim 15

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan, wherein said scanning means is aligned with said gel and the bands are scanned while still in the gel but after being resolved.

Claim 16

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; and scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan, wherein said scanning means is aligned with said gel and the bands are scanned while still in the gel but after being resolved.

Claim 17

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan, wherein said scanning means is aligned with said gel and the bands are scanned while still in the gel but after being resolved; and resolving the bands within at least one channel so that the bands of the more mobile strands in the channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process such that at least ten percent of the bands are fully resolved while the less mobile strands are yet unresolved into bands in the channel.

Claim 18

A method for sequencing DNA comprising: applying fluorescently marked DNA samples at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab; establishing electrical potential across said gel electrophoresis slab wherein DNA samples are resolved in accordance with the size of DNA fragments in said gel electrophoresis slab into fluorescently marked DNA bands; scanning the separated samples photoelectrically with a laser and a sensor, wherein the laser scans with scanning light at a scanning light frequency within an absorbent spectrum of said fluorescently marked DNA samples and sensing light at an emission frequency of the marked DNA; said step of scanning including the substeps of focusing a microscope on a gel portion of an electrophoresis slab at least at two different locations along a path of a single scan, wherein said scanning means is aligned with said gel and the bands are scanned while still in the gel but after being resolved; and resolving the bands within at least one channel so that the bands of the more mobile strands in the channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process such that at least ten percent of the bands are fully resolved while the less mobile strands are yet unresolved into bands in the channel.

Claim 19

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; moving the microscope and laser across said channels, wherein light emitted from the laser and said microscope scans across said channels; and detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained.

Claim 20

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; moving the microscope and laser across said channels, wherein light emitted from the laser and said microscope scans across said channels; and detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained.

Claim 21

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; and scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained, wherein light from said laser is in the band incorporating at least the near infrared and infrared regions and said detector responds to light in a band including at least said near infrared and infrared regions.

Claim 22

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; and scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained, wherein light from said laser is in the band incorporating at least the near infrared and infrared regions and said detector responds to light in a band including at least said near infrared and infrared regions.

Claim 23

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; and detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained; the step of focusing said microscope including the step of adjusting the distance between said microscope and said gel wherein the distance does not vary more than five percent during a scan.

Claim 24

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; and detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained; the step of focusing said microscope including the step of adjusting the distance between said microscope and said gel wherein the distance does not vary more than five percent during a scan.

Claim 25

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; and scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained; the step of focusing including the step of dynamically refocusing at a plurality of locations to maintain the focal point within an area of low radiation between two layers of higher radiation whereby said focal point is in the gel between two glass plates on either side of the gel.

Claim 26

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; and scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained; the step of focusing including the step of dynamically refocusing at a plurality of locations to maintain the focal point within an area of low radiation between two layers of higher radiation whereby said focal point is in the gel between two glass plates on either side of the gel.

Claim 27

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; and detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained, wherein the step of focusing includes the step of focusing at one location; moving the microscope along a scan to another location; and adjusting the distance between the microscope and the gel until the microscope can remain focused during at least a portion of the scan.

Claim 28

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; and detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained, wherein the step of focusing includes the step of focusing at one location; moving the microscope along a scan to another location; and adjusting the distance between the microscope and the gel until the microscope can remain focused during at least a portion of the scan.

Claim 29

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained; transmitting intensity data to a cathode ray tube so that the intensity data extends substantially across a horizontal sweep of the cathode ray tube; modulating an electron gun of the cathode ray tube with said intensity data during horizontal sweeps; and spacing said horizontal sweeps vertically to present a plurality of bands.

Claim 30

A method of DNA sequencing comprising the steps of: applying opposite polarity electrical potentials to a first and at least a second buffer; applying fluorescently marked DNA strands to a plurality of channels of gel, whereby said fluorescently marked DNA strands are electrophoresed along said gel so that the bands of more mobile strands in at least one channel are fully resolved while some of the less mobile strands to be later formed into bands are unresolved in a continuous process; focusing a microscope wherein the focus point of the microscope is within the gel during a scan; scanning across said channels with light emitted from a laser and with said microscope; detecting fluorescent light emitted by said fluorescently marked DNA strands, whereby the time sequence of separated bands may be obtained; transmitting intensity data to a cathode ray tube so that the intensity data extends substantially across a horizontal sweep of the cathode ray tube; modulating an electron gun of the cathode ray tube with said intensity data during horizontal sweeps; and spacing said horizontal sweeps vertically to present a plurality of bands.