High speed DNA Sequencing by Chemical Recognition using Novel Nanopore Technology

Arizona State University-Tempe Campus, Tempe AZ

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The summary challenge for a next generation sequencing technology is: reading-out of letters in the genetic code corresponding to three billion base pairs in a human genome with no loss of information at very low read-out cost per genome. The sheer complexity of the task has led to one common approach in third generation sequencing technologies - discretization or piecemeal sequencing. These next generation methods include high-throughput massively parallel approaches, sequencing by synthesis, sequencing by degradation, sequencing by hybridization, nanopore based techniques, among others. In case of nanopore based sequencing technologies, both biological and solid state nanopores, another common strategy employed has been to significantly slow-down the translocation of DNA through a nanopore to aid the probing of the DNA chain. Strategies such as these, which have been employed to attain a handle on the sequencing challenge, in-turn increase the cost of sequencing the genome. We propose a novel nanopore device concept that is able to sequence the genome at very high translocation speeds. The novel technology does not require slowing- down of DNA translocation through nanopore but is inherently able to transduce base-sequence information at speeds of above 100,000 bases per second. Further the platform technology enables low cost of device manufacturing, potentially offering a high-speed very-low cost solution to sequencing. We propose the novel device concept, methods of fabrication, and exploratory studies towards realizing high speed DNA information readout. We further propose device physical modeling and numerical simulations from first principles to aid rational-design and to validate the proposed solution for $1000 genome.