The present invention provides a nanopore single-molecule protein sequencer, which mainly includes a nanopore array chip system, an ultra-low current detection system and a data processing and construction system; the chip mainly includes a chip of peptide charge screening, a chip of amino acid sequence reading based on a series of specific nanopores and the like, the design principle of which is as follows: a series of biological nanopores with amino acid targeted identification are designed according to properties such as hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity, polarity, and chargeability of amino acids, and characteristic ion flow signals of amino acids forming a protein to be detected in nanopore are obtained one by one; characteristic information of a protein sequence in each of the nanopores is acquired by an arrayed ultra-low current measurement system; a standard model peptide sequence information base is used for identifying, correcting, integrating and reading amino acid sequences.

An assembly is provided for interfacing with a microfluidic chip having at least one microscopic channel configured to receive a liquid sample for analysis. The assembly includes a chip carrier, an electronics module, an optical module, and a mechanical module. The chip carrier includes a base and a cover defining a cavity to receive the microfluidic chip. The electronics module includes a signal generator which applies at least one electrokinetic signal electrode(s) of the chip. The optical module includes an excitation radiation source which causes excitation radiation to impinge on the sample, and an emission radiation detector which detects radiation emitted from the sample. The mechanical module includes a chip-carrier receiving structure, relatable with respect to the optical module for focus and at least one degree of translational freedom.

The invention relates to a new method of characterising a target RNA polynucleotide by taking one or more measurements as the target RNA polynucleotide moves with respect to a transmembrane pore. The movement is controlled by a DNA helicase. The invention also relates to a modified RNA construct wherein the RNA polynucleotide has been modified to increase DNA helicase binding thereto.

Provided herein are methods and devices for characterizing a biomolecule parameter by a nanopore-containing membrane, and also methods for making devices that can be used in the methods and devices provided herein. The nanopore membrane is a multilayer stack of conducting layers and dielectric layers, wherein an embedded conducting layer or conducting layer gates provides well-controlled and measurable electric fields in and around the nanopore through which the biomolecule translocates. In an aspect, the conducting layer is graphene.

A method to determine the throughput speed v of a pore, comprising the steps of feeding, by means of a driving force F, a filiform calibration element through the pore, the calibration element having a plurality of markers spaced apart by known distances and configured to produce an interaction event that transmits a signal away from the pore upon interaction with the pore, detecting a plurality of interaction events, and determining a time interval Δt between successive interaction events, and/or a frequency ω of interaction events.

The invention relates to new methods of moving helicases past spacers on polynucleotides and controlling the loading of helicases on polynucleotides. The invention also relates to new methods of characterising target polynucleotides using helicases.

Devices and methods for characterization of analyte mixtures are provided. Some methods described herein include performing enrichment steps on a device before expelling enriched analyte fractions from the device for subsequent analysis. Also included are devices for performing these enrichment steps.

The present invention is directed to methods and devices capable of target analyte separation and analysis, in particular highly sensitive separation and detection and free-solution analyte detection assays.

A liquid droplet manipulation system has a substrate with at least one electrode array and a central control unit for controlling selection of individual electrodes of the electrode array and for providing the electrodes with individual voltage pulses for manipulating liquid droplets by electrowetting. A working film is placed on top of the electrodes for manipulating samples in liquid droplets with the electrode array. At least one selected individual electrode of the electrode array is configured to be penetrated by light of an optical detection system for the optical inspection or analysis of samples in liquid droplets that are located on the working film. Also disclosed is working film that is to be placed on the electrode array and a cartridge that includes such a working film for manipulating samples in liquid droplets.

A DNA sequencing device and related methods, wherein the device includes a substrate, a nanochannel formed in the substrate, a first electrode positioned on a first side of the nanochannel, and a second electrode. The second electrode is positioned on a second side of the nanochannel opposite the first electrode and is spaced apart from the first electrode to form an electrode gap that is exposed in the nanochannel. At least a portion of first electrode is movable relative to the second electrode to decrease a size of the electrode gap.