Methods of detecting the absence or presence of a micro-organism in a sample comprising: contacting the sample with a nucleic acid molecule which acts as a substrate for nucleic acid modifying activity of the micro-organism in the sample, incubating the thus contacted sample under conditions suitable for nucleic acid modifying activity; and specifically determining the absence or presence of a modified nucleic acid molecule resulting from the action of the nucleic acid modifying activity on the substrate nucleic acid molecule to indicate the absence or presence of the micro-organism. Corresponding kits are also provided.

The present disclosure relates in some aspects to methods for analyzing a target nucleic acid in a biological sample. In some aspects, the methods involve the use of a set of oligonucleotides, for example a set of two or more oligonucleotides, wherein one or more oligonucleotides comprises one or more photoreactive nucleotides, for analyzing target nucleic acids. In some aspects, the presence, amount, and/or identity of a target nucleic acid is analyzed in situ. Also provided are oligonucleotides, sets of oligonucleotides, compositions, and kits for use in accordance with the methods.

The present disclosure relates in some aspects to methods for analyzing a target nucleic acid in a biological sample. In some aspects, the methods involve the use of a set of oligonucleotides, for example a set of two or more oligonucleotides, wherein one or more oligonucleotides comprises one or more photoreactive nucleotides, for analyzing target nucleic acids. In some aspects, the presence, amount, and/or identity of a target nucleic acid is analyzed in situ. Also provided are oligonucleotides, sets of oligonucleotides, compositions, and kits for use in accordance with the methods.

Systems and methods of polynucleotide sequencing are provided. Systems and methods optimize control, speed, movement, and/or translocation of a sample (e.g., a polynucleotide) within, through, or at least partially through a nanopore or a type of protein or mutant protein in order to accumulate sufficient time and current blocking information to identify contiguous nucleotides or plurality of nucleotides in a single-stranded area of a polynucleotide.

Systems and methods of polynucleotide sequencing are provided. Systems and methods optimize control, speed, movement, and/or translocation of a sample (e.g., a polynucleotide) within, through, or at least partially through a nanopore or a type of protein or mutant protein in order to accumulate sufficient time and current blocking information to identify contiguous nucleotides or plurality of nucleotides in a single-stranded area of a polynucleotide.

A method includes (i) providing an RNA polynucleotide; (ii) modifying the RNA polynucleotide by annealing and ligating a polynucleotide comprising a 3′ terminal random multimer segment and having a stem-loop form; (iii) optionally performing a reverse transcription of the RNA polynucleotide; (iv) cleaving the stem-loop segment of the annealed polynucleotide to yield a 3′ A overhang; (v) connecting an adaptor polynucleotide complex associated with an RNA translocase enzyme and at least one cholesterol tether segment to the polynucleotide obtained in step (iv); (vi) contacting the modified RNA polynucleotide obtained in step (v) with a transmembrane pore such that the RNA translocase controls the movement of the RNA polynucleotide through the transmembrane pore and the cholesterol tether anchors the RNA polynucleotide in the vicinity of the transmembrane pore; and (vii) taking one or more measurements during the movement of the RNA polynucleotide through the transmembrane pore Other features are also disclosed.

A method includes (i) providing an RNA polynucleotide; (ii) modifying the RNA polynucleotide by annealing and ligating a polynucleotide comprising a 3′ terminal random multimer segment and having a stem-loop form; (iii) optionally performing a reverse transcription of the RNA polynucleotide; (iv) cleaving the stem-loop segment of the annealed polynucleotide to yield a 3′ A overhang; (v) connecting an adaptor polynucleotide complex associated with an RNA translocase enzyme and at least one cholesterol tether segment to the polynucleotide obtained in step (iv); (vi) contacting the modified RNA polynucleotide obtained in step (v) with a transmembrane pore such that the RNA translocase controls the movement of the RNA polynucleotide through the transmembrane pore and the cholesterol tether anchors the RNA polynucleotide in the vicinity of the transmembrane pore; and (vii) taking one or more measurements during the movement of the RNA polynucleotide through the transmembrane pore Other features are also disclosed.

A method of identifying a polynucleic acid (PNA) is presented, including the steps of providing a PNA; modifying one or more nucleobases of the PNA by addition or removal of a hydrogen bonding partner, thereby altering the base pairing capacity of the one or more nucleobases; base pairing a complementary nucleic acid to the PNA, including base pairing to at least one modified nucleobase; identifying the sequence of the complementary nucleic acid at least at the position that is complementary to at least one modified nucleobase.

A method of identifying a polynucleic acid (PNA) is presented, including the steps of providing a PNA; modifying one or more nucleobases of the PNA by addition or removal of a hydrogen bonding partner, thereby altering the base pairing capacity of the one or more nucleobases; base pairing a complementary nucleic acid to the PNA, including base pairing to at least one modified nucleobase; identifying the sequence of the complementary nucleic acid at least at the position that is complementary to at least one modified nucleobase.

Provided is multiplex and asymmetric amplification of nucleic acid molecules. In particular, provided is a method for simultaneous and asymmetric amplification of one or more target nucleic acids in a sample. The method can simultaneously and asymmetrically amplify multiple target nucleic acids existing in a sample, and can simultaneously produce large number of single stranded products.