The invention describes a method for isolating one or more genetic elements encoding a gene product having a desired activity, comprising the steps of: (a) compartmentalising genetic elements into microcapsules; and (b) sorting the genetic elements which express the gene product having the desired activity; wherein at least one step is under microfluidic control. The invention enables the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids and proteins by repeated mutagenesis and iterative applications of the method of the invention.

The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic device and a method allowing the generating and screening of combinatorial samples. A microfluidic device for producing droplets of at least one sample into an immiscible phase is provided, the device comprising a droplet maker connecting an immiscible phase channel and a sample channel having at least one sample inlet connected to at least one sample inlet channel injecting the at least one sample into the sample channel, wherein the injection of the at least one sample is controlled by at least one sample valve, so that the at least one sample flows either towards a sample waste outlet or into the at least one sample inlet channel, wherein different sample inlet channel of the at least one sample inlet channel have the same hydrodynamic resistance resulting from the length, height and width of each sample inlet channel upstream of the droplet maker.

An example of a flow cell includes a substrate, a plurality of chambers defined on or in the substrate, and a plurality of depressions defined in the substrate and within a perimeter of each of the plurality of chambers. The depressions are separated by interstitial regions. Primers are attached within each of the plurality of depressions, and a capture site is located within each of the plurality of chambers.

The invention generally relates to methods for quantifying an amount of enzyme molecules. Systems and methods of the invention are provided for measuring an amount of target by forming a plurality of fluid partitions, a subset of which include the target, performing an enzyme-catalyzed reaction in the subset, and detecting the number of partitions in the subset. The amount of target can be determined based on the detected number.

Provided are an isolated oligonucleotide and a use thereof in nucleic acid sequencing, wherein the isolated oligonucleotide comprises a first strand, wherein the 5′-end nucleotide of the first strand has a phosphate group, and the 3′-end nucleotide of the first strand is a dideoxynucleotide, and a second strand, wherein the 5′-end nucleotide of the second strand does not have a phosphate group, and the 3′-end nucleotide of the second strand is a dideoxynucleotide, wherein the first strand is longer than the second strand in length, and a double-stranded structure is formed between the first strand and the second strand.

The invention generally relates to methods for quantifying an amount of enzyme molecules. Systems and methods of the invention are provided for measuring an amount of target by forming a plurality of fluid partitions, a subset of which include the target, performing an enzyme-catalyzed reaction in the subset, and detecting the number of partitions in the subset. The amount of target can be determined based on the detected number.

Embodiments of the present invention provide substrates having controllably co-located polymers of different sequences. Methods are provided that allow the fabrication of arrays of polymers on a substrate having controllably co-located polymers in regions of the array. For example, polymers of nucleic acids and peptides having different sequences and or compositions can be co-located within a region of a substrate. Also provided are arrays of DNA polymers wherein polymers having two different sequences are co-located within a region of an array. The co-located DNA polymers can comprise complementary DNA that is able to hybridize and form double stranded DNA. Arrays having regions comprising double stranded DNA are provided.

A nucleic acid integrated detection method and detection reagent tube are provided, separating a lysis solution, a cleaning solution and a reaction solution in a detection reagent tube by providing a plurality of separation plugs in an over-under arrangement and disposing a hydrophobic layer in liquid or solid phase on each separation plug; adding a sample into the lysis solution; extracting nucleic acid in the sample using magnetic nanobeads; and then driving the magnetic nanobeads carrying the nucleic acid to sequentially pass through each hydrophobic layer along a magnetic bead channel and into the cleaning solution and the reaction solution to realize a cleaning and amplification for the nucleic acid, and finally, detecting the nucleic acid of the sample by an external device using an optical detection method, thus realizing a plurality of steps of nucleic acid extraction, cleaning and amplification reactions in the same detection reagent tube.

There is disclosed a process for in vitro synthesis and assembly of long, gene-length polynucleotides based upon assembly of multiple shorter oligonucleotides synthesized in situ on a microarray platform. Specifically, there is disclosed a process for in situ synthesis of oligonucleotide fragments on a solid phase microarray platform and subsequent, “on device” assembly of larger polynucleotides composed of a plurality of shorter oligonucleotide fragments.

A dispenser and methods for transferring liquids are disclosed. The dispenser may include a capillary tube with tip having an aperture, a piezoelectric actuator coupled to the capillary tube at a location. Actuation of the piezoelectric actuator causes a pressure wave to propagate along the capillary tube toward the tip such that radial motion at the location is transmitted as distally extending axial motion of the tip, thereby causing a droplet of a predetermined volume to be ejected from the aperture. In some embodiments, the capillary tube has a modulus of elasticity in a range which dampens acoustical noise from the actuation and provides single drop stability over a range of drop sizes.