Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

The invention includes a device for detecting a target nucleic acid sequence contained in a solution of solution of nucleic acid fragments. The device includes a chamber, and a membrane disposed in said chamber and having a channel extending between an upstream chamber region, where the said channel has a selected minimum cross-sectional dimension in the range between 2 and 100 nm. Attached to a wall portion of the channel, is a capture nucleic acid having a sequence complementary to the target sequence. Upstream and downstream electrodes disposed in the upstream and downstream chamber regions, respectively, are in contact with electrolyte solution placed in the corresponding chamber regions. A controller in the device includes a power source operatively connected to the electrodes for applying a selected voltage potential across the channel, to move individual nucleic acid sequences contained in the solution through the channel, where the sequences can hybridize to complementary target sequences bound to the channel wall portion.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim