Methods and apparatuses for stretching polymers
First Claim
1. An apparatus for stretching at least one polymer in a fluid sample, said apparatus comprising an elongation structure, wherein said elongation structure comprises a tapered channel, said tapered channel decreasing in width from a first end to a second end, and wherein said at least one polymer, when present, moves along said tapered channel from said first end to said second end and is stretched.
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Abstract
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.
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Citations
41 Claims
- 1. An apparatus for stretching at least one polymer in a fluid sample, said apparatus comprising an elongation structure, wherein said elongation structure comprises a tapered channel, said tapered channel decreasing in width from a first end to a second end, and wherein said at least one polymer, when present, moves along said tapered channel from said first end to said second end and is stretched.
- 29. An apparatus for stretching at least one polymer in a fluid sample, said apparatus comprising an elongation structure, wherein said elongation structure comprises a channel with at least one bend, and wherein said at least one polymer, when present, moves along said channel and is stretched.
- 38. An apparatus for stretching at least one polymer in a fluid sample, said apparatus comprising an elongation structure, wherein said elongation structure comprises a channel along which said at least one polymer, when present, moves in a flow direction, and wherein said channel comprises a plurality of obstacles to motion of said at least one polymer, said plurality of obstacles having cross-sectional area gradated down along said flow direction.
Specification