An acoustic sensor detects binding of a nucleic acid analyte in an impure liquid sample by measurement of the energy of the acoustic wave resulting from the binding of the nucleic acid target to the sensor surface. The analysis may be preceded by carrying out a nucleic acid amplification procedure in situ on a crude or impure biological sample and the analysis is tolerant of the presence of reagents or by-products of the amplification procedure, and also materials present from the initial biological sample.

An acoustic sensor detects binding of a nucleic acid analyte in an impure liquid sample by measurement of the energy of the acoustic wave resulting from the binding of the nucleic acid target to the sensor surface. The analysis may be preceded by carrying out a nucleic acid amplification procedure in situ on a crude or impure biological sample and the analysis is tolerant of the presence of reagents or by-products of the amplification procedure, and also materials present from the initial biological sample.

A method of tagged-base DNA sequencing readout on waveguide surfaces includes immobilizing, a surface of a waveguide, a nucleotide fragment, exposing the nucleotide fragment to a first plurality of capped nucleotides, wherein the first plurality of capped nucleotides include a first plurality of nucleotide types, each distinct nucleotide type has a distinct capping agent, and each distinct capping agent has a distinct optical signature, severing base pair connections between the at least a nucleotide fragment and the first plurality of capped nucleotides, wherein the nucleotide fragment remains attached and a first single nucleotide, of the first plurality of capped nucleotides, remains immobilized on a nucleotide binding locus adjacent to the first nucleotide sequence, and detecting a first distinct optical signature of a first distinct capping agent of the first single nucleotide using the waveguide.

A method of tagged-base DNA sequencing readout on waveguide surfaces includes immobilizing, a surface of a waveguide, a nucleotide fragment, exposing the nucleotide fragment to a first plurality of capped nucleotides, wherein the first plurality of capped nucleotides include a first plurality of nucleotide types, each distinct nucleotide type has a distinct capping agent, and each distinct capping agent has a distinct optical signature, severing base pair connections between the at least a nucleotide fragment and the first plurality of capped nucleotides, wherein the nucleotide fragment remains attached and a first single nucleotide, of the first plurality of capped nucleotides, remains immobilized on a nucleotide binding locus adjacent to the first nucleotide sequence, and detecting a first distinct optical signature of a first distinct capping agent of the first single nucleotide using the waveguide.

Disclosed are methods and devices for fragmenting chains of nucleic acids (such as DNA) in a liquid sample. A liquid sample is provided, comprising chains of nucleic acids. A sample treatment device has a sample treatment zone. The liquid sample is contacted with the sample treatment zone. Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) are propagated along a surface of the sample treatment zone, or more generated acoustic waves are propagated to couple with the sample, and/or the sample is subjected to freeze-thaw cycling, in order to cause fragmentation of said chains of nucleic acids in the sample.

Disclosed are methods and devices for fragmenting chains of nucleic acids (such as DNA) in a liquid sample. A liquid sample is provided, comprising chains of nucleic acids. A sample treatment device has a sample treatment zone. The liquid sample is contacted with the sample treatment zone. Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) are propagated along a surface of the sample treatment zone, or more generated acoustic waves are propagated to couple with the sample, and/or the sample is subjected to freeze-thaw cycling, in order to cause fragmentation of said chains of nucleic acids in the sample.

An acoustic sensor detects binding of a nucleic acid analyte in an impure liquid sample by measurement of the energy of the acoustic wave resulting from the binding of the nucleic acid target to the sensor surface. The analysis may be preceded by carrying out a nucleic acid amplification procedure in situ on a crude or impure biological sample and the analysis is tolerant of the presence of reagents or by-products of the amplification procedure, and also materials present from the initial biological sample.

An acoustic sensor detects binding of a nucleic acid analyte in an impure liquid sample by measurement of the energy of the acoustic wave resulting from the binding of the nucleic acid target to the sensor surface. The analysis may be preceded by carrying out a nucleic acid amplification procedure in situ on a crude or impure biological sample and the analysis is tolerant of the presence of reagents or by-products of the amplification procedure, and also materials present from the initial biological sample.

A sensitive assay for an analyte employing an acoustic wave sensor. A label which has a higher dissipative capacity than the analyte is adhered to the sensing surface of an acoustic wave sensor through the analyte such that the body of the label is spaced apart from and anchored to the surface of the acoustic wave sensor by a distance of 15 to 250 nm. The change in the energy losses of the acoustic wave when the label binds to the sensing surface is used to measure the presence or amount of the label. A substantial improvement in the detection limit of the label is obtained. The analyte may for example be a nucleic acid and the label may for example comprise liposomes.

A sensitive assay for an analyte employing an acoustic wave sensor. A label which has a higher dissipative capacity than the analyte is adhered to the sensing surface of an acoustic wave sensor through the analyte such that the body of the label is spaced apart from and anchored to the surface of the acoustic wave sensor by a distance of 15 to 250 nm. The change in the energy losses of the acoustic wave when the label binds to the sensing surface is used to measure the presence or amount of the label. A substantial improvement in the detection limit of the label is obtained. The analyte may for example be a nucleic acid and the label may for example comprise liposomes.