Inventors:
Eugene Y. Chan - Boston MA, US
Lance C. Gleich - Somerville MA, US
Parris S. Wellman - Somerville MA, US
Assignee:
PathoGenetix, Inc. - Woburn MA
International Classification:
B01L 3/00
US Classification:
436 94, 422502, 422503, 436 86
Abstract:
The present invention provides structures and methods that allow polymers of any length, including nucleic acids containing entire genomes, to be stretched into a long, linear conformation for further analysis. The present invention also provides structures and methods for selecting and stretching polymers based on their lengths. Polymers are loaded into a device and run through the structures. Stretching is achieved by, e. g. , applying shear forces as the polymer passes through the structures, placing obstacles in the path of the polymer, or a combination thereof. Since multiple molecules may be stretched in succession, extremely high throughput screening, e. g. , screening of more than one molecule per second, is achieved.