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US5601982A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for determining the sequence of polynucleotides

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1995-02-07
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Granted: 1997-02-11
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Expires: 2015-02-07
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Abstract

Abstract Methods for determining the sequence of a polynucleotide are described. The method utilizes a novel apparatus. Linearly oriented nucleic acids are scanned by scanning tunneling microscopy, and the presence of base specific labels determined. The information is compiled for different labels, and the data sets combined to provide the full nucleotide sequence.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jeannine P. Sargent
  • 👤 Jeff Marks

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 09:03
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12Q; C12Q1/00; C12Q1/68; C12Q1/6869; G; G01; G01Q; G01Q60/00; G01Q60/10; G01Q60/16; B; B01; B01J; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/00274; B01J2219/0068; B01J2219/00702; B01J2219/00707; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/849; Y10S977/852; Y10S977/853

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 73 words
An apparatus for determining the sequence of a nucleic acid, comprising: a fabricated substrate comprising at least one alignment path having a nucleic acid binding surface; a scanning microscope for scanning along said alignment path to provide an output signal representative of the position of each labeled base in said nucleic acid sequence; a data processor for processing the signal to provide an output signal representative of the sequence of said nucleic acid.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 73 words
An apparatus for determining the sequence of a nucleic acid, comprising: a fabricated substrate comprising at least one alignment path having a nucleic acid binding surface; a scanning microscope for scanning along said alignment path to provide an output signal representative of the position of each labeled base in said nucleic acid sequence; a data processor for processing the signal to provide an output signal representative of the sequence of said nucleic acid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said microscope is a scanning tunneling microscope.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a purality of alignment paths.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said substrate further comprises an initiation site for each of said alignment paths.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 125 words
A method for determining the nucleotide sequence of a DNA, the method comprising: (1)(A) preparing purified, linear single-stranded DNA, wherein said DNA comprises a label distinguishable by scanning microscopy (SXM) specific for one base species; (B) aligning said DNA on a fabricated substrate comprising at least one alignment path having a nucleic acid binding surface; (C) scanning said aligned DNA by STM; (D) recording the position of said label along said aligned DNA to provide a base sequence-data set; (2) repeating steps (A) to (D) with a label specific for each nucleoside base; and (3) compiling each of said base sequence-data sets to provide a complete sequence data set, wherein said data set describes the position of each nucleotide in the sequence of said DNA.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 125 words
A method for determining the nucleotide sequence of a DNA, the method comprising: (1)(A) preparing purified, linear single-stranded DNA, wherein said DNA comprises a label distinguishable by scanning microscopy (SXM) specific for one base species; (B) aligning said DNA on a fabricated substrate comprising at least one alignment path having a nucleic acid binding surface; (C) scanning said aligned DNA by STM; (D) recording the position of said label along said aligned DNA to provide a base sequence-data set; (2) repeating steps (A) to (D) with a label specific for each nucleoside base; and (3) compiling each of said base sequence-data sets to provide a complete sequence data set, wherein said data set describes the position of each nucleotide in the sequence of said DNA.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 48 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said substrate comprises a plurality of alignment paths; wherein said scanning of aligned DNA is repeated for said plurality of alignment paths; and wherein said base sequence data set comprises a compilation of base sequence-data sets from said plurality of scans.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 47 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said purified, linear single stranded DNA is a mixture of complementary strands, and wherein said repeating steps (A) to (D) with a label specific for each nucleoside base is limited to one of purine specific labels or pyrimidine specific labels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said purified, linear single-stranded DNA further comprises an initiation marker.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said preparing purified, linear single-stranded DNA comprises the steps of: amplifying said DNA by polymerase chain reaction in the presence of a nucleotide analog having a substituent group distinguishable by SXM.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 55 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said preparing purified, linear single-stranded DNA comprises the steps of: amplifying said DNA by polymerase chain reaction in the presence of a nucleotide analog having a substituent group distinguishable by SXM wherein at least one of the primers for said amplification comprises an initiation marker distinguishable by SXM.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said nucleic acid binding surface is a conductive coating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said nucleic acid binding surface is a silanol coating.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 33 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said alignment path is a trench of at least about 5 Å deep, at least about 20 Å wide and at least about 1 μm long.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 33 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said alignment path is level with the surface of the substrate, and is at least about 5 Å wide and at least about 1 μm long.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said alignment path is raised above the surface of the substrate at least about 5 Å, is at least about 5 Å wide and at least about 1 μm long.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 109 words
An apparatus for determining the sequence of a nucleic acid, comprising: a fabricated substrate comprising at least one alignment path having a nucleic acid binding surface, wherein said substrate is formed from a base material selected from the group consisting of crystalline silicon, germanium, and III-V compounds, said base material having a root mean surface number of less than about 5 angstroms; a scanning microscope for scanning along said alignment path to provide an output signal representative of the position of each labeled base in said nucleic acid sequence; a data processor for processing the signal to provide an output signal representative of the sequence of said nucleic acid.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 109 words
An apparatus for determining the sequence of a nucleic acid, comprising: a fabricated substrate comprising at least one alignment path having a nucleic acid binding surface, wherein said substrate is formed from a base material selected from the group consisting of crystalline silicon, germanium, and III-V compounds, said base material having a root mean surface number of less than about 5 angstroms; a scanning microscope for scanning along said alignment path to provide an output signal representative of the position of each labeled base in said nucleic acid sequence; a data processor for processing the signal to provide an output signal representative of the sequence of said nucleic acid.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5106729A Cited
US5252743A Cited
US5270214A Cited
US5242974A Cited
JPH05244997A Cited
US5470707A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-02-11 2000-08-12 2001-02-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-02-11 2004-08-12 2005-02-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-02-11 2008-08-12 2009-02-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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