A method of modeling a background signal when sequencing a polynucleotide strand using sequencing-by-synthesis includes: flowing a series of nucleotide flows onto a reactor array having multiple reaction confinement regions, one or more copies of the polynucleotide strand being located in a loaded reaction confinement region of the reactor array, the loaded reaction confinement region being located in a vicinity of one or more neighboring reaction confinement regions that may or may not be loaded; receiving output signals from the reactor array; and modeling a background signal for the loaded reaction confinement region using the received output signals and a model adapted to account at least for an exchange of ions between the one or more neighboring reaction confinement regions and a headspace adjacent the loaded reaction confinement region and the one or more neighboring reaction confinement regions.

Disclosed herein are mechanically-strained oligonucleotide constructs comprising two oligonucleotides that when hybridized results in a bent double-stranded oligonucleotide. The constructs may be used to probe oligonucleotide interactions with an analyte to detect interactions with metal ions or compounds.

Systems and methods for inserting a single pore into a membrane under faradaic conditions are described herein. A stepped or ramped voltage waveform can be applied across the membranes of the cells of an array, where the voltage waveform starts at first voltage and increases in magnitude over a period of time to a second voltage. The voltage waveform has a polarity that maintains a first species of a redox couple in its current oxidation state. The first voltage is selected to be low enough to reduce the risk of damaging the membrane, while the rate of voltage increase is selected to provide sufficient time for the pores to insert into the membranes. Once a pore is inserted into the membrane, the voltage across the membrane rapidly drops, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the membrane even if the applied voltage between the electrodes is further increased.

Systems and methods for inserting a single pore into a membrane under faradaic conditions are described herein. A stepped or ramped voltage waveform can be applied across the membranes of the cells of an array, where the voltage waveform starts at first voltage and increases in magnitude over a period of time to a second voltage. The voltage waveform has a polarity that maintains a first species of a redox couple in its current oxidation state. The first voltage is selected to be low enough to reduce the risk of damaging the membrane, while the rate of voltage increase is selected to provide sufficient time for the pores to insert into the membranes. Once a pore is inserted into the membrane, the voltage across the membrane rapidly drops, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the membrane even if the applied voltage between the electrodes is further increased.

A biosensor comprising an electrode and inverted molecular pendulums (iMPs) is described. Each IMP includes a linker bound to the electrode, and an analyte receptor and a redox reporter both bound to the linker. The redox reporter is reactive at positive potential when the linker presents a net negative charge and reactive at negative potential when the linker presents a net positive charge. Upon application of an electric field, the biosensor is characterized by an iMPs unbound state, where no analyte is bound to the receptor, at which the iMPs are displaced towards the electrode and electron transfer from the iMPs towards the electrode occurs at an unbound electron transfer rate, and an iMPs bound state, where the analyte is bound to the receptor, at which the iMPs are displaced towards the electrode and electron transfer from the iMPs towards the electrode occurs at a bound electron transfer rate.

A biosensor comprising an electrode and inverted molecular pendulums (iMPs) is described. Each IMP includes a linker bound to the electrode, and an analyte receptor and a redox reporter both bound to the linker. The redox reporter is reactive at positive potential when the linker presents a net negative charge and reactive at negative potential when the linker presents a net positive charge. Upon application of an electric field, the biosensor is characterized by an iMPs unbound state, where no analyte is bound to the receptor, at which the iMPs are displaced towards the electrode and electron transfer from the iMPs towards the electrode occurs at an unbound electron transfer rate, and an iMPs bound state, where the analyte is bound to the receptor, at which the iMPs are displaced towards the electrode and electron transfer from the iMPs towards the electrode occurs at a bound electron transfer rate.

The present application relates to a biosensor for detecting an analyte comprising a first and second working electrode; a detection probe functionalized on the first working electrode, the detection probe comprising a reporter moiety and a recognition moiety for an analyte; a capture probe functionalized on the second working electrode; and a counter electrode. Each working electrode is configured to provide a change in signal if the analyte is present. The biosensor can be used to detect an analyte in a sample.

The present application relates to a biosensor for detecting an analyte comprising a first and second working electrode; a detection probe functionalized on the first working electrode, the detection probe comprising a reporter moiety and a recognition moiety for an analyte; a capture probe functionalized on the second working electrode; and a counter electrode. Each working electrode is configured to provide a change in signal if the analyte is present. The biosensor can be used to detect an analyte in a sample.

This invention relates to sequence specific electrochemically-labeled oligonucleotide probes for the detection of nucleic acids and methods associated therewith.

This invention relates to sequence specific electrochemically-labeled oligonucleotide probes for the detection of nucleic acids and methods associated therewith.