Biochemical analysis instrument

• US 9,651,519 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Clive Gavin, Willcocks, James Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Sines, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US14/812,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20150346149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 422 50, 422 681, 422502, 422503, 422504, 422509, 422 62, 422 63, 422 67, 436 43, 436180, 436 63, 436 86, 436 89
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6869 Methods for sequencing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1433 using image recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1459 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44756 Apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48721 Investigating individual macromolecules, e.g. by translocation through nanopores Coulter counters in general G01N15/12; fabrication methods for nanoscale apertures B81B1/00; sequencing of nucleic acids C12Q1/68

Abstract

An analysis instrument comprises plural modules connected together over a data network, each module comprising an analysis apparatus operable to perform biochemical analysis of a sample. Each module comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the analysis apparatus. The control units are addressable to select an arbitrary number of modules to operate as a cluster for performing a common biochemical analysis. The control units communicate over the data network, repeatedly during the performance of the common biochemical analysis, to determine the operation of the analysis apparatus of each module required to meet the global performance targets, on the basis of measures of performance derived from the output data produced by the modules. The arrangement of the instrument as modules interacting in this manner provides a scalable analysis instrument.

Claims

1. A sequencing device, comprising:

a sensor device configured to receive a biological sample and process the biological sample during a sequencing run;

a processing module coupled to the sensor device, wherein the processing module comprises processing circuitry configured to acquire sequence data representative of the nucleotide identities from the biological sample during the sequencing run; and

at least one processor programmed to;

receive the sequence data as the sequencing run is in progress;

determine the nucleotide identities of the biological sample based on the sequence data;

generate one or more files comprising the nucleotide identities;

analyze the nucleotide identities to determine if the acquired sequence data from the biological sample is sufficient; and

provide an indication that the sequencing device is available in response to determining that the sequence data from the biological sample is sufficient to determine a characteristic of the biological sample,

wherein the indication is provided while the processing module is acquiring additional sequence data from the biological sample during the sequencing run and before the sequencing run is complete, and

wherein the processor is programmed to reassign the processing module to sequence a second biological sample after sufficient sequence data from the biological sample has been acquired and before the sequencing run is complete.

2. The sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to receive instructions to communicate the nucleotide identities to a data network.

3. The sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the sequencing device is communicatively coupled to a network of sequencing devices.

4. The sequencing device of claim 3, wherein the network of sequencing devices comprises a distributed control system for controlling the sequencing devices.

5. The sequencing system of claim 3, wherein the network of sequencing devices comprises a central control system for controlling the sequencing devices.

6. The sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises a housing having a sample input port configured to receive the biological sample.

7. The sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to determine that the acquired sequence data is sufficient to assemble a genome of the biological sample.

8. The sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the acquired sequence data comprises an incomplete set of nucleotide identity files of the biological sample.

9. The sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to determine that the acquired sequence data is sufficient based on a presence of a minimum file set in the acquired sequence data.

10. The sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to determine that the acquired sequence data is sufficient based on a determination of a percentage completion of the sequencing run.

11. The sequencing device of claim 10, wherein the percentage completion associated with sufficient acquired sequence data is associated with an organism of origin of the biological sample.

12. The sequencing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to provide instructions to the processing module to interrupt the sequencing run before the sequencing run is complete in response to determining that the sequence data is sufficient.