U.S. patent application number 13/044357 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-13 for methods for sequencing individual nucleic acids under tension.
This patent application is currently assigned to LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Melville DAVEY, John F. DAVIDSON, Bradley HAHN, Wolfgang HINZ, John H. LEAMON, Jonathan M. ROTHBERG, Jonathan SCHULTZ, Antoine M. van OIJEN.
Application Number | 20110250603 13/044357 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41653275 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110250603 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ROTHBERG; Jonathan M. ; et
al. |
October 13, 2011 |
Methods for Sequencing Individual Nucleic Acids Under Tension
Abstract
The invention provides apparatuses and methods of use thereof
for sequencing nucleic acids subjected to a force, and thus
considered under tension. The methods may employ but are not
dependent upon incorporation of extrinsically detectably labeled
nucleotides.
Inventors: |
ROTHBERG; Jonathan M.;
(Guilford, CT) ; LEAMON; John H.; (Guilford,
CT) ; DAVIDSON; John F.; (Guilford, CT) ; van
OIJEN; Antoine M.; (Needham, MA) ; HINZ;
Wolfgang; (Killingworth, CT) ; DAVEY; Melville;
(Guilford, CT) ; HAHN; Bradley; (Sierra Vista,
AZ) ; SCHULTZ; Jonathan; (Oxford, MA) |
Assignee: |
LIFE TECHNOLOGIES
CORPORATION
Carlsbad
CA
|
Family ID: |
41653275 |
Appl. No.: |
13/044357 |
Filed: |
March 9, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12319140 |
Dec 31, 2008 |
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13044357 |
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61188544 |
Aug 8, 2008 |
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61191930 |
Sep 12, 2008 |
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61194422 |
Sep 26, 2008 |
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61197588 |
Oct 29, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
435/6.12 ;
435/6.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C12Q 1/6874 20130101;
C12Q 1/6874 20130101; C12Q 2523/303 20130101; C12Q 1/6874 20130101;
C12Q 2565/131 20130101; C12Q 2535/122 20130101; C12Q 2521/101
20130101; C12Q 2523/303 20130101; C12Q 2525/204 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
435/6.12 ;
435/6.1 |
International
Class: |
C12Q 1/68 20060101
C12Q001/68 |
Claims
1-81. (canceled)
82. A method for analyzing a nucleic acid target, the method
comprising: immobilizing a primer to a substrate, the primer
including a region complementary to a nucleic acid template;
hybridizing the nucleic acid template with the primer; synthesizing
a nucleic acid target complementary to the nucleic acid template by
rolling circle amplification to provide a plurality of copies of
tandemly-arranged nucleic acid template; and interrogating the
nucleic acid target using a non-fluorescence based detection
method.
83. The method of claim 82 wherein, the non-fluorescence based
detection method is based on a change in a mechanical property of
the nucleic acid target.
84. The method of claim 83, wherein the mechanical property of the
nucleic acid target is associated with the length of the nucleic
acid target that changes during the interrogation.
85. The method of claim 83, wherein a flow-based force induces a
change in the mechanical property in the nucleic acid target.
86. The method of claim 83, wherein a magnetic force induces a
change in the mechanical property in the nucleic acid target.
87. The method of claim 83, wherein an electrical force induces a
change in the mechanical property in the nucleic acid target.
88. The method of claim 83, wherein at least two different forces
induces a change in the mechanical property in the nucleic acid
target.
89. The method of claim 82, wherein immobilizing comprises
non-covalently coupling the primer to the substrate.
90. The method of claim 89, wherein non-covalently coupling
includes coupling to a linker.
91. The method of claim 90, wherein the linker comprises
polyethylene glycol.
92. The method of claim 82, wherein immobilizing comprises coupling
a biotin-containing primer to the substrate having streptavidin
disposed thereon.
93. The method of claim 82, wherein immobilizing includes
covalently coupling.
94. A method for sequencing a nucleic acid target, the method
comprising: ligating nucleic acid template to form a circular
nucleic acid template; immobilizing a primer to a substrate, the
primer including a region complementary to the circular nucleic
acid template; coupling the circular nucleic acid template to the
primer; synthesizing a nucleic acid target complementary to at
least a portion of the circular nucleic acid template, the
synthesized nucleic acid target having a plurality of copies of at
least a portion of the circular nucleic acid template arranged in
tandem; and performing a sequencing reaction which includes a
non-fluorescent detection mechanism to identify at least a portion
of the nucleic acid target sequence.
95. The method of claim 94, wherein immobilizing includes
non-covalently coupling the primer to the substrate.
96. The method of claim 95, wherein non-covalently coupling
includes coupling to a linker.
97. The method of claim 96, wherein the linker comprises
polyethylene glycol.
98. The method of claim 94, wherein immobilizing includes coupling
a biotin-containing primer to a substrate having streptavidin
disposed thereon.
99. The method of claim 94, wherein immobilizing comprises
covalently bonding.
100. The method of claim 94 wherein, the non-fluorescence based
detection mechanism is based on a change in a mechanical property
of the nucleic acid target.
101. The method of claim 100, wherein the mechanical property of
the nucleic acid target is associated with the length of the
nucleic acid target that changes during the sequencing
reaction.
102. The method of claim 100, wherein a flow-based force induces a
change in the mechanical property in the nucleic acid target.
103. The method of claim 100, wherein a magnetic force induces a
change in the mechanical property in the nucleic acid target.
104. The method of claim 100, wherein an electrical force induces a
change in the mechanical property in the nucleic acid target.
105. The method of claim 100, wherein at least two different forces
induces a change in the mechanical property in the nucleic acid
target.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) to U.S. Provisional Applications 61/188,544,
61/191,930, 61/194,422 and 61/197,588, filed Aug. 8, 2008, Sep. 12,
2008, Sep. 26, 2008 and Oct. 29, 2008, respectively, the entire
contents of all of which are incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of Invention
[0003] The invention relates to methods and devices for sequencing
nucleic acids, including DNA, under tension.
[0004] 2. Discussion of Related Art
[0005] The elastic behavior of nucleic acids such as DNA has been
investigated for a variety of purposes and using a variety of
techniques. As an example, DNA has been stretched using electrical
forces (Schurr et al. Biopolymers 29, 1161-1165 (1990)),
electrophoresis (Smith et al. Biopolymers 1990, 1167-73 (1990)),
hydrodynamic drag (Chu et al. Science 253, 861-866 (1991); Perkins
et al. Science 268, 83-7 (1995); Yanagida et al. Cold Spring Harb
Symp Quant Biol 47 Pt 1, 177-87 (1983); van Oijen et al. Science
301, 1235-8 (2003)), magnetic forces (Smith et al. Science 258,
1122-6 (1992)), glass needles (Cluzel et al. Science 271, 792-4
(1996)), optical traps (Smith et al. Science 271, 795-799 (1996);
Bustamante et al. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 1, 130-6 (2000); Davenport
et al. Science 287, 2497-500 (2000); Wuite et al. Nature 404, 103-6
(2000)), and optical tweezers (Wang et al. Biophys. J 72, 1335-1346
(1997)). Data from these studies have provided insights into DNA
structure, and have revealed that when stretched by relatively low
forces (e.g., less than or equal to 6 picoNewtons (pN)), single
stranded DNA (ssDNA) is more compact than double stranded DNA
(dsDNA). This difference in compactability is due in part to the
shorter persistence length and increased incidence of secondary
structure in ssDNA as compared to dsDNA (Kim et al. Nat Meth 4,
397-399 (2007)).
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0006] The invention relates broadly to methods, devices and
systems for determining the sequence of individual nucleic acids.
The methods require the synthesis of a nucleic acid strand that is
complementary to the strand being sequenced and are thus referred
to herein as sequencing-by-synthesis methods. More specifically,
the methods determine sequence based on a change in the mechanical
properties of the nucleic acid (as referred to herein, a template
nucleic acid) upon incorporation of one or more nucleotides into
the newly synthesized strand which is hybridized to the template
nucleic acid, and consequently upon conversion of a single stranded
region to a double stranded region of the template nucleic acid,
particularly DNA.
[0007] In some of its broadest aspects, the invention provides
methods for determining a nucleotide sequence of a nucleic acid
that is under tension, and for synthesizing nucleic acids under
tension. In some embodiments, a nucleic acid under tension is a
nucleic acid that is subjected to a force that is at least about 1
pN up to and including about 12 pN. In some embodiments, the force
is about 1 pN but less than 6 pN. In some embodiments, the force is
greater than 6 pN and up to about 12 pN.
[0008] Thus, in one aspect, the invention provides a method for
detecting incorporation of a nucleotide into a nucleic acid
comprising contacting an immobilized nucleic acid with a nucleotide
in the presence of a polymerase, detecting incorporation of the
nucleotide into a newly synthesized nucleic acid hybridized to the
immobilized nucleic acid based on a change in length of the
immobilized nucleic acid while it is under tension. The newly
synthesized strand may include a primer but it is not so
limited.
[0009] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
determining incorporation of one or more nucleotides into a nucleic
acid comprising contacting an immobilized nucleic acid with a
plurality of identical nucleotides in the presence of a polymerase,
determining whether incorporation of one or more of the plurality
of identical nucleotides occurs in a newly synthesized nucleic acid
hybridized to the immobilized nucleic acid based on a change in
length of the immobilized nucleic acid while it is under tension.
The newly synthesized strand may include a primer but it is not so
limited.
[0010] In a related aspect, the invention provides a method for
determining incorporation of one or more nucleotides into a nucleic
acid comprising contacting an immobilized nucleic acid hybridized
to a primer (including a hairpin primer) or other polymerase
extendable substrate with a plurality of identical nucleotides in
the presence of a polymerase, determining whether incorporation of
one or more of the plurality of identical nucleotides occurs onto
the primer based on a change in length of the immobilized nucleic
acid while it is under tension.
[0011] In related aspects, the invention provides similar methods
except that the plurality of nucleotides is not identical and may
include two or three nucleotide types, provided the combination is
known. For example, the plurality may be a mixture of dATP, dCTP
and dGTP nucleotides, although it is not so limited. This plurality
however is not a combination of all four known nucleotides. In
these aspects, the immobilized nucleic acid is contacted with the
mixture of nucleotides followed by contact with the remaining
nucleotide(s) together or individually.
[0012] In some embodiments, the immobilized nucleic acid comprises
a plurality of identical nucleic acid sequences conjugated to each
other in tandem. In some embodiments, the plurality of identical
nucleic acid sequences is at least 50, at least 100, at least 250,
at least 500, at least 750, at least 1000, at least 10000, or at
least 100000. In various embodiments, the plurality of identical
nucleic acid sequences may be equal to or less than 10.sup.8, equal
to or less than 10.sup.7, equal to or less then 10.sup.6, equal to
or less than 10.sup.5, equal to or less than 10.sup.4, or equal to
or less than 10.sup.3. Thus, the plurality of identical nucleic
acid sequences may range from about 50 to about 10.sup.8, about 50
to about 10.sup.7, about 50 to about 10.sup.6, about 50 to about
10.sup.5, about 50 to about 10.sup.4, or about 50 to about
10.sup.3, without limitation.
[0013] In some embodiments, the immobilized nucleic acid is
generated by rolling circle amplification (RCA). In some
embodiments, the immobilized nucleic acid is generated by
polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
[0014] In some embodiments, the immobilized nucleic is covalently
immobilized to a solid support. In some embodiments, the
immobilized nucleic is non-covalently immobilized to a solid
support. Non-covalent immobilization may occur via biotin-avidin
interactions, for example. In some embodiments, the immobilized
nucleic acid is immobilized to a solid support via a linker. In
some embodiments, the linker is polyethylene glycol (PEG). In some
embodiments, the solid support comprises a plurality of different
linkers, which may optionally be of differing lengths. In some
embodiments, the plurality of different linkers comprise a
plurality of polyethylene glycol of differing molecular weight (and
length).
[0015] In some embodiments, the immobilized nucleic acid comprises
a detectable moiety at its free end. In some embodiments, the
detectable moiety is covalently attached to the free end of the
immobilized nucleic acid. In some embodiments, the detectable
moiety is a bead. In some embodiments, the bead is a magnetic
bead.
[0016] A nucleic acid under tension refers to a nucleic acid
experiencing a force, preferably along its length. In some
embodiments, the immobilized nucleic acid is subjected to a
flow-based force, a magnetic force, a mechanical force or an
electrical force.
[0017] Various embodiments are recited below and it is to be
understood that they apply to the various aspects recited
herein.
[0018] In some embodiments, the immobilized nucleic acid is
subjected to a force that is less than 6 picoNewtons (pN), between
5-6 pN, between 4-5 pN, between 3-4 pN, between 2-3 pN, or between
1-2 pN. In some embodiments, force is about 1 pN, about 2 pN, or
about 3 pN. In some embodiments, the immobilized nucleic acid is
subjected to a force that is greater than 6 pN and less than or
equal to 12 pN.
[0019] In some embodiments, the immobilized nucleic acid is
subjected to a magnetic force. In some embodiments, the immobilized
nucleic acid is subjected to a magnetic force that is perpendicular
to the flow-based force, or a magnetic force that is perpendicular
to reagent flow. Thus, in some embodiments, the immobilized nucleic
acid is subjected to more than one force (e.g., two forces).
[0020] In some embodiments, the polymerase is in solution. In some
embodiments, the polymerase is tethered (attached) to the primer
(or other polymerase extendable substrate) and/or the immobilized
nucleic acid.
[0021] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising immobilizing a nucleic acid
that comprises a plurality of tandemly arranged identical nucleic
acids, performing a sequencing-by-synthesis reaction using the
immobilized nucleic acid as a template, and detecting incorporation
of nucleotides by changes in length of the nucleic acid.
[0022] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising immobilizing a nucleic acid
that comprises a plurality of tandemly arranged identical nucleic
acids onto a solid support surface, performing a
sequencing-by-synthesis reaction using the immobilized nucleic acid
as a template, and detecting incorporation of naturally occurring
nucleotides. Naturally occurring nucleotides are minimally defined
as nucleotides that lack extrinsic optical labels. This method may
detect incorporation of nucleotides in the absence of fluorescence
detection. The solid support surface may be a flat and continuous
solid support surface.
[0023] Various aspects of the invention provide methods for
detecting nucleotide incorporation in a non-enzymatic manner. This
means that the methods do not require or rely on enzymes other than
the polymerase used to incorporate the nucleotide(s). As an
example, the invention does not require or rely on conversion of
sequencing reaction byproducts (such as inorganic pyrophosphate) in
order to detect nucleotide incorporation.
[0024] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising immobilizing a template
nucleic acid on a solid support surface, wherein the template
nucleic acid is hybridized to a plurality of primers and is bound
to a plurality of polymerases, incorporating one or more known
nucleotide triphosphates simultaneously at the 3' end of each
primer, and detecting the incorporation of the one or more known
nucleotide triphosphates by a change in length of the template
nucleic acid.
[0025] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising immobilizing a nucleic acid
that comprises a plurality of tandemly arranged identical nucleic
acids onto a support surface, performing a sequencing-by-synthesis
reaction using the immobilized nucleic acid as a template, and
detecting incorporation of nucleotides non-enzymatically (e.g., in
the absence of fluorescence detection).
[0026] In one embodiment, the nucleotides are naturally occurring
nucleotides. In another embodiment, the nucleotides lack extrinsic
detectable labels.
[0027] In some embodiments, the support surface is continuous. In
some embodiments, the support surface is a non-continuous. In some
embodiments, the support surface is a plurality of beads or
particles such as but not limited to microparticles. The beads or
particles may be solid or porous. In some embodiments, the support
surface is rigid. In some embodiments, the support surface is
porous such as a mesh.
[0028] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising immobilizing a nucleic acid
that comprises a plurality of tandemly arranged identical nucleic
acids onto a solid support, flowing oligonucleotides of known
sequence over the immobilized nucleic acid, and detecting
hybridization of the oligonucleotides to the immobilized nucleic
acid by changes in length of the immobilized nucleic acid.
[0029] In some embodiments, different populations of
oligonucleotides are flowed over the immobilized nucleic acid
sequentially, and changes in length of the immobilized nucleic acid
are measured between populations. The oligonucleotides may be 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more
nucleotides in length.
[0030] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising immobilizing a plurality of
nucleic acids that each comprises a plurality of tandemly arranged
identical nucleic acids onto a solid support surface, performing a
plurality of sequencing-by-synthesis reactions using the
immobilized nucleic acids as templates, and detecting incorporation
of nucleotides in the absence of fluorescence (i.e., in a
non-fluorescent manner), wherein each of the plurality of template
nucleic acids is bound to a separate region of the solid support
surface that is contiguous and in fluid communication with all
other regions on the solid support surface.
[0031] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising immobilizing a plurality of
nucleic acids that each comprises a plurality of tandemly arranged
identical nucleic acids onto a solid support surface, performing a
plurality of sequencing-by-synthesis reactions using the
immobilized nucleic acids as templates, and detecting incorporation
of nucleotides for each individual immobilized nucleic acid. In
some embodiments, each of the plurality of immobilized nucleic
acids is bound to a separate region of the solid support surface
that is contiguous and in fluid communication with all other
regions on the solid support surface.
[0032] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising (a) immobilizing each of a
plurality of template nucleic acids in separate non-overlapping
regions of a solid support surface in a flow cell, each of the
template nucleic acids comprising a plurality of tandemly arranged
identical nucleic acid sequences and hybridized to a plurality of
primers and bound to a plurality of polymerases, (b) introducing a
plurality of known identical unlabeled nucleotide triphosphates
into the flow cell, (c) for each individual template nucleic acid,
detecting incorporation of one or more nucleotide triphosphates to
the plurality of hybridized primers, (d) washing unincorporated
nucleotide triphosphates from the flow cell, and (e) repeating
steps (b) through (d) in the same flow cell using a different
plurality of known nucleotide triphosphates, wherein all template
nucleic acids within the flow cell are in fluid communication with
each other.
[0033] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising performing a plurality of
sequencing-by-synthesis reactions using a plurality of immobilized
template nucleic acids each comprising a plurality of tandemly
arranged identical nucleic acid sequences, wherein nucleotide
incorporation is detected in a non-fluorescent manner. Sequences
ranging in length from about 100-1000, about 200-1000, about
300-1000, about 400-1000, about 500-1000, about 600-1000, about
700-1000, about 800-1000 or about 900-1000 nucleotides (or bases)
are determined from individual template nucleic acids. In other
embodiments, about 200-900, about 300-800, about 400-700, or about
500-600 bases are determined from individual template nucleic
acids. In still other embodiments, sequences in excess of 1000
bases are determined.
[0034] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising detecting incorporation of one
or more known unlabeled nucleotide triphosphates to a plurality of
primers hybridized to a template nucleic acid immobilized on a wall
of a flow cell. In some embodiments, the flow cell is in contact
with an optical detector or imager. In some embodiments, the wall
is a CMOS contact imager. In some embodiments, the wall is a bottom
wall.
[0035] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising fragmenting a nucleic acid to
generate a target nucleic acid, individually amplifying a target
nucleic acid to generate a template nucleic acid comprising
tandemly arranged multiple copies of the target nucleic acid, and
sequencing an individual template nucleic acid using unlabeled
nucleotide triphosphates in the absence of fluorescence. The
individual template nucleic acid may be sequenced based on change
in length, as described herein.
[0036] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
sequencing a nucleic acid comprising individually sequencing a
template nucleic acid that is immobilized on a solid support
surface and is in fluid communication with other immobilized
template nucleic acids using unlabeled nucleotide
triphosphates.
[0037] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
generating a nucleic acid comprising isothermally amplifying a
circular target nucleic acid using natural nucleotide triphosphates
for a first set of amplification reactions and modified nucleotide
triphosphates for a second set of amplification reactions to
generate a template nucleic acid, wherein the first set of
amplification reactions occurs prior to the second set of
reactions.
[0038] In some embodiments, the second set of amplification
reactions is a single ultimate (i.e., last or final) amplification
reaction. In some embodiments, the second set of amplification
reactions is a penultimate (i.e., next to last or next to final)
and an ultimate amplification reaction.
[0039] In some embodiments, the modified nucleotide triphosphates
comprises covalent or non-covalent reaction groups.
[0040] In some embodiments, the method further comprises attaching
a detectable moiety to the template nucleic acid via the
incorporated modified nucleotide triphosphates.
[0041] In some embodiments, the method further comprises attaching
the template nucleic acid to a solid support.
[0042] In another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus
comprising at least two polyethylene glycol populations immobilized
to a solid support surface.
[0043] In some embodiments, the solid support surface is a glass
surface. In some embodiments, the solid support surface is a CMOS
imager.
[0044] In some embodiments, the at least two polyethylene glycol
populations differ from each based on molecular weight (and
typically length). In some embodiments, members of one or multiple
polyethylene glycol populations are each attached to a biological
agent.
[0045] In some embodiments, members of one polyethylene glycol
population are attached to apyrase. In some embodiments, members of
one polyethylene glycol population are attached to an
oligonucleotide. In some embodiments, members of the polyethylene
glycol population attached to an oligonucleotide are non-randomly
immobilized on the solid support surface. In some embodiments,
members of the polyethylene glycol population attached to apyrase
are randomly immobilized on the solid support surface.
[0046] In some embodiments, the solid support surface is a bottom
wall of a flow cell.
[0047] In another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus
comprising a flow cell having an inlet and an outlet, and a wall
having immobilized thereon in separate non-overlapping regions each
of a plurality of nucleic acids, wherein the non-overlapping
regions are in fluid communication with each other, and a CMOS
imager.
[0048] In some embodiments, the nucleic acids are oligonucleotides
ranging in length from 10-100 nucleotides. In some embodiments, the
nucleic acids range in length from 100-10.sup.6 nucleotides. In
some embodiments, the plurality of nucleic acids is randomly
distributed on the wall.
[0049] In some embodiments, the nucleic acids are conjugated to a
detectable moiety at their free ends. In some embodiments, the
detectable moiety is a bead. In some embodiments, the bead is a
magnetic bead.
[0050] In some embodiments, the wall is a bottom wall. In some
embodiments, the wall is comprised of glass.
[0051] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
measuring length comprising detecting a bead tethered to a known
location on a solid support, and determining a distance moved by
the bead over time.
[0052] In some embodiments, the bead is tethered to the solid
support with a nucleic acid.
[0053] In some embodiments, the bead is detected using a contact
imager. In some embodiments, the contact imager is a CMOS contact
imager. In some embodiments, the solid support is a CMOS contact
imager. In some embodiments, the bead is detected using an ISFET
array.
[0054] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
determining a position of an observable moiety comprising detecting
signal from an observable moiety, and subtracting from said signal
a local average background signal, wherein the observable moiety is
one of a plurality of observable moieties tethered to a solid
support.
[0055] In some embodiments, the solid support is a contact imager.
In some embodiments, the observable moiety is detected using an
ISFET array.
[0056] In some embodiments, the local average background signal is
calculated using signals from less than all pixels of the solid
support. In some embodiments, local average background signal is
calculated using signals from less than 5% of pixels of the solid
support.
[0057] In some embodiments, the observable moiety is a bead. In
some embodiments, the observable moiety is tethered to the solid
support with a nucleic acid.
[0058] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for
determining movement of an observable moiety that is tethered to a
solid support comprising detecting a reference observable moiety
and a test observable moiety, determining a level of movement of
the reference observable moiety during a first time period to
obtain a reference movement, and subtracting reference movement
from a level of movement of the test observable moiety during the
first time period, wherein the reference and test observable
moieties are tethered to a solid support.
[0059] In some embodiments, the solid support is a contact imager.
In some embodiments, the reference and test observable moieties are
detecting using an ISFET array.
[0060] In some embodiments, the observable moiety is a bead. In
some embodiments, the observable moiety is tethered to the solid
support with a nucleic acid.
[0061] The foregoing aspects and embodiments of the invention will
be discussed in greater detail herein. It should be understood that
the invention contemplates any and all combinations of the
foregoing aspects and embodiments, unless explicitly excluded
herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0062] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to
scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical
component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by
a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be
labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:
[0063] FIG. 1 is a graph showing the relationship between flow rate
(left axis), force (right axis), and extension (bottom axis) using
lambda phage single stranded (closed circles) and double stranded
(open circles) DNA as a representative nucleic acid. Arrows
illustrate DNA extension or shortening as a function of single or
double stranded structure at low and high force. The Figure is
taken from Kim et al. Nat Meth 4, 397-399 (2007).
[0064] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a system useful for
sequencing nucleic acid molecules under tension, according to the
invention.
[0065] FIG. 3 is a Finite Element Analysis model of a 4 ml/h flow
of liquid through a flow cell that is 125 .mu.m deep and 3 mm
wide.
[0066] FIG. 4 is a Finite Element Analysis model of a 4 ml/h flow
of liquid through the redesigned flow cell 100 .mu.m deep that has
a 5.5 by 7 mm flow surface for laminar flow over the entire field
of view of 4.8 by 6.4 mm.
[0067] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of three possible template
immobilization (or tethering) approaches.
[0068] FIG. 6 is a schematic of a microfluidics system contemplated
by the invention.
[0069] FIGS. 7A-B are schematics of the flow paths, valve block,
and integrated system in microfluidic embodiments of the
invention.
[0070] FIG. 8 illustrates the positioning of the template above the
surface of the flow cell and the effect of increased linker
length.
[0071] FIG. 8A illustrates a template tethered to a solid support
and having a bead and a polymerase tethered thereto.
[0072] FIGS. 9A-C illustrate three possible immobilization
strategies for templates and observable moieties. FIG. 9A
illustrates non-covalent attachment of DNA to a slide and
non-covalent attachment of a bead to DNA. FIG. 9B illustrates
covalent attachment of DNA to a slide and non-covalent attachment
of a bead to DNA. FIG. 9C illustrates covalent attachment of DNA to
a slide and covalent attachment of a bead to DNA.
[0073] FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of extension of
.lamda.-phage ssDNA (open circles) and dsDNA (filled circles) both
conjugated to a 2 .mu.m bead, as a function of flow rate. The right
vertical axis indicates the corresponding stretching force in pN.
The change in DNA length that is caused by conversion of dsDNA to
ssDNA at a force of 3 pN is indicated by the dashed or red line.
This Figure is adapted from van Oijen et al. (Science 301, 1235-8
(2003)).
[0074] FIGS. 11A-F are diagrammatic representations of the
sequencing-by-synthesis methodology of the invention employing the
RCA-based template preparation, template tethering, and sequencing
under flow induced tension.
[0075] FIGS. 12A-B illustrate a conventional optic imaging system
that consists of a microscope and camera (A) and a contact imaging
system in which the object is placed directly on the sensor surface
(B). The Figure is taken from Ji et al. (IEEE Transactions On
Circuits And Systems Part 1 Regular Papers 54, 1698 (2007)).
[0076] FIG. 13 illustrates a simulated model of a contact imaging
system.
[0077] FIG. 14 provides an example of a CMOS image sensor.
[0078] FIG. 15 is an exemplary CMOS image reader board block
diagram.
[0079] FIG. 16 is an example of a CMOS image reader board.
[0080] FIG. 17 is a set of sequence maps relating to the same
nucleic acid region and generated using a three dNTP mixture and
separate one dNTP flow regimen.
[0081] FIG. 18 is an algorithm for bead identification, tracking
and ultimately base calling.
[0082] FIG. 19 illustrates a simulated model of the ability of bead
tracking software to track beads over 1600 flows (i.e., 400 cycles
assuming each dNTP is flowed separately).
[0083] FIGS. 20A-C show extension versus time (A), force versus
time (B) and force versus extension (C) of a single stranded DNA
tethered to a bead as it undergoes polymerase-based extension to
convert to double-stranded DNA.
[0084] FIGS. 21A-B show base caller algorithm output for
uncorrected (A) and corrected (B) data.
[0085] FIG. 22 is a graph showing relative movement data for
tethered and control beads.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0086] The invention broadly provides high-speed, high-throughput
methods, devices and systems for sequencing (i.e., determining the
nucleotide sequence) of single nucleic acids. These methods,
devices and systems can generate sequences on the order of tens or
hundreds or thousands of bases per nucleic acid in a single read,
and can do so simply, rapidly and in a cost-effective manner.
[0087] It has been discovered according to the invention that the
difference in the degree to which single stranded (ss) DNA and
double stranded (ds) DNA can extend under identical force can be
exploited to monitor nucleotide(s) incorporation into a growing
strand of DNA, as occurs in a sequencing-by-synthesis process.
Nucleotide incorporation is revealed by a change in the length of a
template that is being sequenced. Whether the change in length is
an increase or a decrease in length depends on the magnitude of
force being applied to the template. As shown in FIG. 1, in the
presence of forces up to and including 6 pN the template will
increase its length with nucleotide incorporation, while in the
presence of forces in excess of 6 pN the template will decrease its
length with nucleotide incorporation. The magnitude of the change
in length is proportional to the number of dNTPs incorporated and
thus the method is not limited by the presence of a stretch of
identical bases on a template. The forces used according to the
invention can be but are not limited to flow-based force, magnetic
force, mechanical force, and electrical force.
[0088] The methods of the invention therefore are not dependent on
observing the incorporation (or cleavage) of detectable labels into
the growing strand of DNA. In this regard, the methods described
herein may be referred to as "label-free" methods, meaning that
individual nucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs, or referred to herein
simply as nucleotides) incorporated into the growing DNA strand
need not comprise extrinsic labels in order to visualize their
incorporation into the growing DNA strand. In other words, these
dNTPs are "unlabeled".
[0089] Briefly, the methods provided herein contemplate the use of
a nucleic acid template that is tethered on one end to a solid
support (or substrate) and bound at its other end to a detectable
(or observable) moiety such as but not limited to a bead. The
template preferably comprises multiple copies of the nucleic acid
molecule to be sequenced (i.e., the target nucleic acid), each copy
with its own upstream primer binding site. Primers are bound to the
template, polymerases are bound to the template/primer hybrid, and
individual (or known combinations of) dNTPs are flowed over the
template/primer hybrid. If the flowed dNTPs are complementary to
the next unpaired nucleotide (or base) on the template (i.e., the
single stranded base that is immediately adjacent to the 3' end of
the newly synthesized strand or primed strand), then the dNTP will
be incorporated into that strand. Similarly, if the next unpaired
"n" nucleotides on the template are identical, then a plurality of
the flowed dNTPs will be incorporated into the newly synthesized
strand provided the requisite complementarity exists.
[0090] Incorporation of one or more dNTPs into the primed strand
serves to convert a single stranded region of the template into a
double stranded region, and this conversion manifests itself as a
change in length when a force is applied to the template. Whether
the change is an increase or a decrease in length depends on the
magnitude of the force, as described herein.
[0091] The change in length may be determined by measuring the
length of the tethered nucleic acid. Alternatively, it may be
indicated by relative movement (or position) of the observable
moiety on the free end of the tethered nucleic acid. By measuring
(or determining) the position of the observable moiety after each
nucleotide flow and/or wash, its relative position and movement can
be determined and used to deduce whether nucleotides have been
incorporated during the last nucleotide flowthrough.
[0092] Conversely, if the flowed nucleotides are not complementary
to the next unpaired nucleotide in the template, then no
nucleotides will be incorporated into the primed strand, no
single-stranded to double-stranded conversion will occur, and there
will be no discernable change in the length of the template. The
process is repeated until all four nucleotides are flowed over the
template/primer hybrids (i.e., a cycle), and then cycles are
repeated until no further incorporation is detected. The nucleotide
sequence of the template is determined by measuring whether and to
what degree the template length changes as the nucleotides are
cycled through. An exemplary schematic of the system that can be
used to flow individual nucleotides over the immobilized nucleic
acids is shown in FIG. 2.
[0093] Having described the method of the invention generally, each
aspect of this method will be described in greater detail.
1. Targets, Templates and Solid Supports
[0094] As used herein, the nucleic acid being sequenced is referred
to as the target nucleic acid (or the target). Target nucleic acids
include but are not limited to DNA such as but not limited to
genomic DNA, mitochondrial DNA, cDNA and the like, and RNA such as
but not limited to mRNA, miRNA, and the like. The target nucleic
acid may derive from any source including naturally occurring
sources or synthetic sources. The nucleic acids may be PCR
products, cosmids, plasmids, naturally occurring or synthetic
library members or species, and the like. The invention is not
intended to be limited in this regard. The nucleic acid may be from
animal or pathogen sources including without limitation mammals
such as humans, and microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi,
parasites, and mycobacteria. In some embodiments, the nucleic acid
is not a viral nucleic acid. The target nucleic acid can be
obtained from any bodily fluid or tissue including but not limited
to blood, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid ("CSF"), skin, hair, urine,
stool, and mucus. The target nucleic acid may also be derived from
without limitation an environmental sample (such as a water
sample), a food sample, or a forensic sample.
[0095] Target nucleic acids are prepared using any manner known in
the art. As an example, genomic DNA may be harvested from a sample
according to techniques known in the art (see for example Sambrook
et al. "Maniatis"). Following harvest, the DNA may be fragmented to
yield nucleic acids of smaller length. The resulting fragments may
be on the order of hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of
nucleotides in length. In some embodiments, the fragments are
50-1000 nucleotides in length, 100-1000 nucleotides in length,
200-1000 base pairs in length, or 300-800 base pairs in length,
although they are not so limited. Nucleic acids may be fragmented
by any means including but not limited to mechanical, enzymatic or
chemical means. Examples include shearing, sonication, nebulization
and endonuclease (e.g., DNase 1) digestion, or any other technique
known in the art to produce nucleic acid fragments, preferably of a
desired length. Fragmentation can be followed by size selection
techniques used to enrich or isolate fragments of a particular
length. Such techniques are also known in the art and include but
are not limited to gel electrophoresis or SPRI.
[0096] Alternatively, target nucleic acids that are already of a
desired length may be used. Such target nucleic acids include those
derived from an exon enrichment process. See Albert et al. Nat Meth
4(11):903-905 (2007), Porreca et al. Nat Meth 4(11):931-936 (2007),
and Okou et al. Nat Meth 4(11):907-909 (2007) for methods of
isolating and/or enriching sequences such as exons prior to
sequencing. Thus, rather than fragmenting (randomly or
non-randomly) longer target nucleic acids, the targets may be
nucleic acids that naturally exist or can be isolated in shorter,
useable lengths such as mRNAs, cDNAs, exons, PCR products (as
described above), and the like.
[0097] Generally, the target nucleic acids are ligated to sequences
on one or both the 5' and 3' ends. These adaptor sequences comprise
sequencing primer sites (i.e., sites to which a sequencing primer
will hybridize) to be used in the sequencing methods of the
invention. In some embodiments, these nucleic acids are then
circularized and their circular forms are used to generate the
template nucleic acids used in the sequencing methods, as discussed
in greater detail below.
[0098] In some embodiments, the targets subjected to amplification,
as discussed below, are of the same or similar length (e.g., a
5-10% variation between targets). In some embodiments, such
variation may be kept as small as possible in order to ensure that
all templates are uniformly applied.
[0099] In various embodiments, the invention exploits isothermal
nucleic acid amplification to generate templates comprised of
tandem repeats of the target nucleic acid (or more accurately, its
complement). This typically can result in a plurality of linearized
multi-kilobase nucleic acid strands, each comprising a plurality of
tandemly repeated target nucleic acids (or complements thereof).
The target nucleic acids within a given template are identical (or
homogeneous), while the target nucleic acids between different
templates are usually different (or heterogeneous). As used herein,
a plurality of tandemly arranged identical nucleic acids means a
plurality of identical nucleic acid sequences that are covalently
attached in a linear manner. Illustrative examples are provided in
FIGS. 9A-C and 11A-F.
[0100] Rolling circle amplification (RCA) (Fire et al. Proc Natl
Acad Sci 92, 4641-4645 (1995); Liu et al. J Am Chem Soc 118,
1587-1594 (1996); Daubendiek et al. J Am Chem Soc 117, 7818-7819
(1995)) is an example of an isothermal nucleic acid amplification
process that is capable of generating on the order of 10.sup.4 to
10.sup.6 fold linear amplification of a circularized nucleic acid
(Lizardi et al. Nat Genet 19, 225-32 (1998)). RCA has been employed
for multiple purposes including signal amplification of DNA (Ladner
et al. Lab Invest 81, 1079-1086 (2001); Nallur et al. NAR 29, e118
(2001)) and protein (Schweitzer et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97,
10113-10119 (2000)) arrays. Additionally, RCA reactions have been
initiated from 5' amine-labeled primers covalently attached to the
surface of a glass slide (Hatch et al. Gen Anal 15, 25-40 (1999);
Lizardi et al. Nat Biotechnol 26, 649-50 (2008)). The amplified
concatamers generated during the RCA process are single-stranded,
accessible and have been amenable to hybridization to
sequence-specific nucleic probes for amplification detection
(Lizardi et al. Nat Genet 19, 225-32 (1998)) and
sequencing-by-hybridization (Pihlak et al. Nat Biotechnol 26,
676-84 (2008)).
[0101] The RCA process involves circularization of a target nucleic
acid that is covalently linked to an upstream primer site.
Circularization can be accomplished either by the various
traditional guide-based ligation processes (Fire et al. Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci. 92, 4641-4645 (1995); Lizardi et al. Nat Genet 19,
225-32 (1998); Diegelman et al. Curr Protoc Nucleic Acid Chem
Chapter 5, Unit 5 2 (2001)) or by the direct application of
single-stranded DNA ligase (Polidoros et al. BioTechniques 41, 35
(2006)). Either method of circularization is amenable to targets
that are derived from synthetic oligonucleotides or from fragmented
genomes as will be relevant to genomic sequencing (Pihlak et al.
Nat Biotechnol 26, 676-84 (2008)). Following ligation (or
circularization), recalcitrant, uncircularized nucleic acids and
excess guides (if used), but not circularized nucleic acids, are
degraded and thus effectively removed from the reaction mixture by
the addition of 3' and/or 5' exonucleases.
[0102] The invention embraces the use of other approaches for
generating concatamerized templates. One such approach is a PCR
described by Stemmer et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,252, and the
description of this approach is incorporated by reference
herein.
[0103] Thus, as used herein, the template is the nucleic acid that
contains one and preferably more than one copy of the target
nucleic acid, each copy being linked to an upstream primer site.
The template is tethered to a solid support (or substrate) prior to
the sequencing-by-synthesis reaction of the invention. The template
preferably contains at least 10, at least 10.sup.2, at least
10.sup.3, at least 10.sup.4, at least 10.sup.5, at least 10.sup.6,
or at least 10.sup.7 concatamerized copies of the original nucleic
acid to be sequenced. In various embodiments, the template may
contain equal to or less than 10.sup.8, equal to or less than
10.sup.7, equal to or less then 10.sup.6, equal to or less than
10.sup.5, equal to or less than 10.sup.4, or equal to or less than
10.sup.3 concatamerized copies of the original nucleic acid to be
sequenced. Thus, the number of concatamerized copies per nucleic
acid may range from about 50 to about 10.sup.8, about 50 to about
10.sup.7, about 50 to about 10.sup.6, about 50 to about 10.sup.5,
about 50 to about 10.sup.4, or about 50 to about 10.sup.3, without
limitation. Each of the concatamerized copies within a template
contains a common primer site to which sequencing primers can
bind.
[0104] The amplified products can be immobilized to the support
surface (e.g., a glass surface) in a variety of ways, some of which
are discussed in greater detail here. In a first instance, the
circularized target nucleic acid is hybridized to a primer that is
itself immobilized on the support surface. The primer is then
extended through the amplification process and in doing so this
immobilized primer is part of the template nucleic acid. The
amplification process in this example may be referred to herein as
"solid-phase" since the amplification product is attached to a
solid phase (i.e., the support surface) during the process.
[0105] In a second instance, the amplification process is carried
out in solution and the final product is then attached to the
support surface. The amplification product may be attached to the
solid support at its 5' end or its 3' end. Attachment may be
through hybridization to a nucleic acid that is immobilized to the
support surface or it may be through interaction of moieties on the
end of the amplification product with moieties on the support
surface. Examples include the use of biotin or dual biotin labeled
DNA (Margulies et al. Nature 437:376 (2005)) with
streptavidin/avidin/neutravidin coated support surfaces, DIG
(digoxigenin) and anti-DIG antibodies or antibody fragments,
fluorescein and anti-fluorescein antibodies or antibody fragments
(Gore et al. Nature 442, 836-9 (2006)), or through the use of
heterofunctional cross-linkers such as biotinylated succinimidyl
propionate-PEG which can be coupled for example to
amine-functionalized glass and used to immobilize biotin-labeled
DNA through a streptavidin sandwich (i.e., a nucleic acid biotin
streptavidin/avidin/neutravidin-biotin solid support
interaction).
[0106] The templates may be referred to as being randomly
immobilized onto the surface. This means that the templates are not
placed on the solid support surface based on sequence. They are
however placed on the solid support in a manner that ensures that
each template is surrounded by an area (and thus volume) that will
not be occupied by another template during the polymerase-mediated
incorporation reactions and/or during extension of the template.
That is, in some instances, the templates are positioned on the
surface at a sufficient distance to from each other to prevent any
interaction between the templates.
[0107] The solid support refers to the element to which the
template is bound (or tethered or immobilized as the terms are used
interchangeably herein with respect to templates on solid supports,
and as discussed in greater detail below). The solid support can be
comprised of any material, including but not limited to glass or
other silica based material, plastic or other polymer based
material, provided however that the material is relatively inert to
template, primer, polymerase, dNTPs, apyrase, various linkers
including those discussed herein, and other components used in the
sequencing reaction and wash. The solid support may or may not be
rigid. It may be porous. It may or may not be continuous. In some
embodiments, the solid support is a glass slide. In some
embodiments, the support is a plurality of beads or particles (such
as microparticles) that are themselves immobilized onto a solid
support. Such beads may be porous. The support may be a mesh. In
some embodiments, the solid support is itself a detector or a
sensor such as but not limited to a contact imager, an example of
which is a CMOS contact imager.
[0108] It is to be understood that a plurality of templates whether
identical or different may be tethered to the solid support,
provided that each member of the plurality is sufficiently spaced
apart from other members so that no overlap occurs between
templates, particularly under tension. A discussion of the
dimensions and density of packing of templates onto a solid support
is provided elsewhere herein.
[0109] It is important that as many templates as possible remain on
the solid support during the sequencing-by-synthesis reactions,
particularly as they occur under tension. The magnitude of the
force being applied to the templates will dictate to some extent
the manner in which the templates should be immobilized. In some
instances, the invention contemplates applying force to the
templates gradually.
[0110] Some embodiments will employ a biotin-streptavidin
interaction to tether templates. The force required to rupture a
biotin-streptavidin bond (Taisuke et al. Applied Physics Letters
87, 043901 (2005)) is greater than the forces contemplated by the
invention.
[0111] Other embodiments will employ covalent chemistries since the
forces required to breaking a carbon-carbon bond are between 2.6
and 13.4 nN (Odell et al. J of Pol Science Part B Pol Physics 24,
1889-1916 (1986)), a force that is three orders of magnitude
greater than the pN flow forces typically used to stretch DNA and
contemplated by the invention. Covalently attaching the template to
the solid support permits the use of significantly greater forces
during the claimed method, if desired. Such forces may be used to
remove primers and/or newly synthesized strands from the
immobilized templates. Primers and DNA strands may be removed in
the presence of low salt, high pH, and/or detergent. Such
"stripping" of the template can allow for the repeated sequencing
of the same templates in order to increase accuracy.
[0112] Covalent chemistry is well understood within the field, with
multiple possible chemistries available for attaching templates to
solid supports. These solid substrate-templates chemistries include
without limitation aminated substrate and phosphorylated DNA (Joos
et al. Anal Biochem 247, 96-101 (1997)), aminated substrate and
carboxylated DNA (Rasmussen et al. Anal Biochem 198, 138-42
(1991)), phosphorylated substrate and aminated DNA (Ghosh et al.
Nucl Acids Res 15, 5353-5372 (1987)), carboxylated substrate and
aminated DNA (Ghosh et al. Nucl Acids Res 15, 5353-5372 (1987)),
epoxide-modified substrate and aminated DNA (Lamture et al. Nucl
Acids Res 22, 2121-5 (1994)), isothiocyanate-activated substrate
and aminated DNA (Guo et al. Nucl Acids Res 22, 5456-5465 (1994)),
aldehyde-activated substrate and aminated DNA (Schena et al. Proc
Natl Acad Sci USA 93, 10614-9 (1996)), gold-coated substrate and
thiol or disulfide modified DNA (Boncheva et al. Langmuir 15,
4317-4320 (1999)), aminosilane-modified substrate and thiol or
disulfide modified DNA (Chrisey et al. Nucl Acids Res 24, 3031-3039
(1996)), 3-mercaptopropylsilane-modified substrate and thiol or
disulfide modified DNA (Rogers et al. Anal Biochem 266, 23-30
(1999)), azide-modified substrate and alkyl-modified DNA
(Rozkiewicz et al. Chembiochem 8(16), 1997-2002 (2007)), and
alkyl-modified substrate and azide-modified DNA (Rogers et al. Anal
Biochem 266, 23-30 (1999)). FIG. 5 provides a schematic
representation of three of the possible tethering schemes that can
be used in accordance with the invention.
2. Binding of Observable Moieties to Template
[0113] Typically, the template must be attached to an observable
(or detectable) moiety on its free end. This moiety is intended to
represent the free end of the template and thus its position and
movement in the direction of the force indicates the length of the
template. The observable moiety can be any number of moieties and
the invention is not limited by its nature. The nature of the
observable moiety will dictate the type of sensor or detector
suitable to observe (or detect or monitor) changes in the length of
the template. In some important embodiments, the observable moiety
is a bead such as a microbead, and even more particularly such as a
magnetic bead. In these embodiments, the sensor may be any optical
sensor, including but not limited to a CMOS imaging sensor (or CMOS
contact imager), as described in greater detail herein. Such a
detection approach may require a light source but it is independent
of the wavelength of such light. In another embodiment, the
observable moiety is a luminescent or fluorescent particle and the
sensor is a charged coupled device (CCD). It is to be understood
that the observable moieties are however not so limited.
[0114] The size of the moiety will depend on how it is being
detected. If it is size-based detection, as for example may occur
with a CMOS contact imager, then a moiety on the order of microns
should suffice. As an example, 1-5 .mu.m beads would be sufficient.
Beads of this size including 2.8 .mu.m beads are commercially
available for sources such as Bangs Laboratories.
[0115] The moieties can be attached to the template through a
variety of methods and employing a variety of interactions,
including but not limited to non-covalent interactions such as
biotin/streptavidin, DIG/anti-DIG, and fluoroscein/anti-fluoroscein
binding pairs, as well as covalent interactions, such as those
discussed herein in relation to covalent immobilization of
templates (or primers) to support surfaces.
[0116] As an example, the simplest methodology for modifying the 3'
end of a nucleic acid is an end-labeling process that is known and
routinely used in the art to place moieties on the 3' end of a
nucleic acid. In an exemplary process, an enzyme is used that can
incorporate modified dNTPs to the 3' end of the template. Examples
of such enzymes include but are not limited to T4 kinase and
terminal transferase. The modification incorporated into the
template will then determine a suitable linking chemistry for
attaching the moiety to the template. For example, biotinylated or
digilated dNTPs can be incorporated at or near the 3' end of the
template and streptavidin or anti-DIG conjugated moieties can be
bound thereto respectively. As another example, amino allyl dNTPs
(typically dUTP) can be incorporated at or near the 3' end of the
template and moieties comprising complementary chemistries can be
bound thereto as outlined herein. The observable moiety is attached
to the template at a position that effectively represents the end
of the template. The moiety is preferably attached to the final
nucleotide in the template. However it can be attached to another
nucleotide near the end of the template provided that no sequencing
reactions occur from the template region between the position of
the moiety and the true end of the template.
[0117] Another method involves ligation (i.e., covalent attachment)
of an oligonucleotide containing one or more modified nucleotides
to the 3' end of the template by single stranded ligases. Examples
of single-stranded ligases include but are not limited to T4 RNA
ligase and CircLigase.TM. ssDNA Ligase (EPICENTRE.RTM.
Biotechnologies).
[0118] Another method uses standard DNA polymerase and natural
dNTPs until the desired number of amplified copies is obtained and
then replaces the natural dNTPs with modified dNTPs and allows one
or more additional amplifications to occur. In this way, the most
3' one or more copies on the template comprise one or more
attachment moieties. The modified dNTPs may comprise for example
biotin, DIG, or amino allyl. One, two, three or all dNTPs may be
modified, and they may be modified with the same or different
moieties. In some instances, a first DNA polymerase may be used to
incorporate natural dNTPs and a second DNA polymerase may be used
to incorporate modified dNTPs. This approach is useful when it is
preferable to perform the vast majority of amplification cycles as
quickly and as accurately as possible and then switch to a slower
and less accurate polymerase for incorporation of the modified
dNTPs. It may also be preferable where the first DNA polymerase has
less affinity and/or reduced capacity for modified dNTPs. As an
example, the first DNA polymerase may be Phi-29 or a similar enzyme
that exhibits a reduced capacity to incorporate modified dNTPs. In
these instances, the first DNA polymerase may be inactivated
through a brief incubation at an increased temperature (e.g., in
the case of Phi-29, an incubation at 40.degree. C. to 50.degree.
C.), followed by the addition of the second DNA polymerase (e.g.,
Bst or Klenow) together with the modified dNTPs and other
reagents.
[0119] Still another method for attaching observable moieties such
as beads to the end of RCA products is through the use of the chain
terminating nucleotide analogue AZT. In this method, the RCA
product is terminated with AZT (i.e., the last residue incorporated
into the RCA product is AZT). AZT contains a 3' azido group that
can be reacted with and thus conjugated to other groups such as
alkynes. Thus, an RCA product having an AZT at its end can be
conjugated to a bead that is attached (preferably covalently) to an
alkyne group. This type of click chemistry can be carried out at
room temperature and preferably in the presence of a Cu catalyst
such as but not limited to copper sulphate (CuSO.sub.4). An example
of such a reaction is described by Danel et al. Bioorganic &
Med Chem., 16:511-517 (2008).
[0120] FIGS. 9A-C illustrate three non-limiting strategies that can
be used to attach the template to the support surface (such as a
glass slide) and the observable moiety (such as a bead) to the
template. These strategies are (A) non-covalent interactions for
template attachment to the support surface and non-covalent
interactions for observable moiety attachment to the template
(e.g., biotin/streptavidin for template immobilization and
DIG/anti-DIG for the observable moiety attachment), (B) covalent
template attachment to the support surface and non-covalent
attachment of observable moiety to the template, and (C) covalent
attachment of template to support surface and covalent attachment
of observable moiety to template.
3. Flow Cell
[0121] The solid support is part of or adjacent to a flow cell. As
used herein, a flow cell is a chamber having at least an inlet and
an outlet port through which a fluid travels. The solid support to
which the template is tethered may be below, above or beside the
flow cell, depending on the position of the detection system used
to observe the template. The solid support may be a wall of the
flow cell including a bottom wall, a side wall, or a top wall.
[0122] The invention provides a flow cell to be used together with
the solid support. The flow cell is designed with dimensions that
provide a uniform flow regime over a large area. As a comparison,
FIG. 3 represents the flow cell described by van Oijen et al.
Science 301, 1235-8 (2003). The surface area of this flow cell is
significantly larger than the field of view (1.78 mm.times.2.37 mm)
and this renders it unsuitable for simultaneously tracking multiple
fields of view during reactions characterized by rapid changes in
reagents, such as those contemplated by the invention. One
embodiment of the flow cell provided by the invention is shown in
FIG. 4. This flow cell has been designed to minimize the dead
volume outside the field of view (4.8 mm.times.6.4 mm) while
maintaining laminar flow across the entire field of view. This
allows rapid changing of reagents at appropriate flow rates, and
this reduces cycling times for sequencing.
[0123] Flow cell dimensions may be governed by the limitations of
the detection systems used. For example, for embodiments using a
charged coupled device (CCD), the flow cell dimensions will be
governed by the width and length of the CCD divided by the
magnification used. In addition, in order to guarantee fully
developed flow in the full field of view (i.e., the part of the
flow cell observed by the camera, as an example), about 1 mm is
added to the sides of the flow cell (e.g., 0.5 mm on each side)
parallel to the flow direction and 1 mm to each side perpendicular
to the flow direction. The flow cell height is selected such that
flow velocity roughly increases linearly with distance from the
surface.
[0124] The flow cell of the invention also permits a greater
density of templates to be immobilized on the solid support at an
axis perpendicular to the flow, and stretched simultaneously
without steric interference. Under non-uniform flow directions in
the flow cell, templates must be oriented and spaced apart from
each other sufficiently so that none interferes with any other
template. This in effect requires that each template be surrounded
by an area of a circle having a radius that is equal to or greater
than the maximum length the template can achieve during a
sequencing reaction under tension. The area of a circle is required
when the flow is non-uniform and the template may be oriented in
essentially any direction.
[0125] The maximum number of samples (or templates) that can be
analyzed in a given view therefore depends on the area of each
circle demarcated by the tethered template. For example, assuming
that a double stranded 50 kb template can assume a length of 20
then each template will require at least a 20 .mu.m radius circle
around it to avoid interference from other templates. The maximum
number of templates (and thus samples) that can be accommodated on,
for example, a 1 mm.times.1 mm image space is therefore on the
order of 723, which exceeds the number of molecules previously
simultaneously reported (van Oijen et al. Science 301, 1235-8
(2003)).
[0126] If on the other hand the flow is uniform in one direction,
then less space is needed around each of the templates since all
the templates will extend in only one direction. Thus under uniform
flow conditions, the free space conformation (i.e., the space
around each tethered template that cannot be occupied by another
template) can be changed from a circle to a rectangle, where the
length of the rectangle is determined by the maximum template
length, and the width is determined by the degree to which the
template is expected to arch while being stretched. In some
embodiments, a width on the order of about 5 .mu.m on either side
of the tethering point should be suitable. Thus if the samples are
packed in rectangular conformation with a 20 .mu.m distance between
events in the direction of the flow, but a 10 .mu.m distance (i.e.,
5 .mu.m on either side of the tethering point) separating tethered
molecules in the axis perpendicular to the flow, the maximum number
of events in a 1 mm.times.1 mm space increases to 1000 (where
maximum number of events means maximum number of templates that can
be observed). Based on these numbers, increasing the resolution of
the CCD camera beyond 0.6 megapixel directly increases the
theoretical maximum number of events that can be monitored, as
shown in Table 1. Table 1 also shows dimensions of representative
surfaces that can be used for immobilization of templates. The
number of monitored events can also be substantially increased
beyond those obtained in the prior art by modifying the system to
include an automated motorized microscope stage with image tiling
software. This has been used successfully for microarray systems
that employ fluorescent microscopes for imaging (Pihlak et al. Nat
Biotechnol 26, 676-84 (2008)). Application of this imaging
technology to the methods described herein would expand the 1
mm.sup.2 reaction surface area previously monitored (van Oijen et
al. Biopolymers 85, 144-53 (2007)) to 48 by 36 mm.sup.2.
[0127] The invention contemplates other strategies for increasing
the density of templates tethered to the solid support. For
example, maximally efficient packing can also be achieved through
creation of ordered arrays. In one instance, processes such as
self-assembling arrays (Yan et al. Science 301, 1882-4 (2003))
utilize biotin interactions to generate features on solid supports,
such as uniform-width nanoribbons and two-dimensional nanogrids. In
another instance, photolithography can be used to create small
regions on the solid support to which only a single molecule is
attached. The single molecule may be a primer or it may be an
entity that binds to a primer such as but not limited to a protein.
In still another instance, periodic diffusion barriers in supported
bilayers can be used to provide highly regular and densely packed
arrays of flow-stretched DNA (Visnapuu et al. Langmuir (2008);
Fazio et al. Langmuir 24, 10524-31 (2008)).
[0128] In still other embodiments, primers may be synthesized
directly onto the solid support. This can be accomplished using any
of the processes known in the art, as exemplified by Maskos et al.
(Nucleic Acids Res 20, 1675-8 (1992)). A non-comprehensive,
non-limiting list of exemplary processes includes in situ synthesis
via ink-jet printing delivery of phosphoramidites (Blanchard et al.
Biosens Bioelectron 11, 687-690 (1996)), parallel synthesis
directed by individually electronically addressable wells (Egeland
et al. Nucl Acids Res 33, e125 (2005)), maskless photo-generated
acid (PGA) controlled synthesis (Gao et al. Nucl Acids Res 29,
4744-50 (2001); LeProust et al. J Comb Chem 2, 349-54 (2000)), mask
directed synthesis utilizing photolithography (PLPG) (Fodor et al.
Science 251, 767-73 (1991)), and maskless PLPG parallel in situ
synthesis (Singh-Gasson et al. Nature Biotechnology 17, 974-978
(1999)).
[0129] If only one primer (on average) is used for extension, the
array will be ordered but not completely occupied. While still
useful in the invention, it is preferable to use high occupancy,
ordered arrays. This can be achieved for example by placement of
large molecules that contain only a single primer and that once
bound to an activated region of the solid support exclude the
binding of other molecules (for example due to size).
[0130] The devices and methods provided herein do not depend on
physically separating polymerase-mediated extension reactions from
each other, as is the case with some prior art sequencing methods
that depend upon detection of sequencing reaction products or
byproducts such as inorganic phosphate. These prior art methods
typically use wells to to physically separate sequencing reactions
from each other. The methods provided herein on the other hand can
be performed even if the reaction products or byproducts are not
physically segregated. Templates are therefore referred to herein
as being "in fluid communication" with other templates, and regions
on a solid support are referred to herein as being in fluid
communication with other regions on the solid support. Such solid
supports therefore do not have wells or microwells situated on
them.
4. Microfluidics
[0131] The invention requires fluid flow over the immobilized
templates. Flow into and through a flow cell may be controlled by
pumps through a valve block, either or both of which may be
computer controlled. In some embodiments, the pumps provide only a
single reagent such as a single type of nucleotide selected from
dATP, dCTP, dGTP and dTTP, or such as the wash buffer and/or
apyrase. In one embodiment, the flow cycle is wash buffer, dATP,
apyrase, wash buffer, dCTP, apyrase, wash buffer, dGTP, apyrase,
wash buffer, dTTP, apyrase, and wash buffer. Length measurement can
occur prior to, at the same time as, or after apyrase flow or prior
to, at the same time as, or after wash buffer flow. In any event,
it has to occur before the flow through of the next dNTP(s). In
other embodiments, two or three of the nucleotides may be combined
and flowed into the flow cell together with the remaining
nucleotide(s) flowed in separately. The data resulting from such
syntheses will be discussed in greater detail herein. FIG. 2
provides a schematic representation of an embodiment of the system
of the invention illustrating the relative arrangement of pumps,
reagent reservoirs, solid supports (referred to as a "bead array"),
detection apparatus (e.g., CCD camera on a microscope), and waste
reservoir. The computer may be a personal computer, a work station,
a networked computer, a distributed computing system, and the like,
as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art.
[0132] Accurate, reproducible measurement of DNA length while under
tension, such as is contemplated by the invention, can be
compromised by variations in the flow rate (van Oijen et al.
Biopolymers 85, 144-53 (2007)) used to provide the tensioning
force. The syringe pumps typically used to drive flow rates in the
prior art have been shown to introduce variation (Lindberg et al.
Cytometry 16, 324-330 (1994)) and inaccuracy (Weiss et al. Can J
Anesth 47, 1031-1035 (2000)). In contrast, gas-driven pneumatic
systems that provide pressure-driven flow control using helium,
argon or another inert gas appear less susceptible to such
variation and inaccuracy (Braschler et al. Lab Chip 7, 420-2
(2007)).
[0133] An additional advantage of pneumatic systems is that they
can be easily interfaced with manifold valves integral to the flow
cell, providing the ability to rapidly switch between reagents
flowing into the flow cell and across the surface of the solid
support. This rapid switching is achieved by flowing concentrated
reagents into a continuous stream of buffer. Short flow paths
between valves resulting in smaller "dead" volumes and microfluidic
mixing individually and together facilitate rapid change-over
between reagents. The transient flow rate changes are dampened with
compliant tubing between the valve manifold and the flow cell. In
addition, degassing of the reagents is prevented by operating the
flow cell at high pressure. This is achieved with a flow resistor
at the outlet of the flow cell. This type of arrangement has
significant advantages over syringe pumps particularly with respect
to the rates at which reagents can be changed, thus ultimately
increasing the rate at which the sequencing reaction can occur.
Using the flow cells and pneumatic valve systems as described
herein and examples of which are provided below, reagent cycling
can occur in as little as 1 second, resulting in a 60 second
sequencing cycle (i.e., the flow through and wash of all four
nucleotides), and approximately a 3.5 hour sequencing run that is
200 cycles long.
[0134] The fluidics system is shown schematically in FIG. 6. Four
nucleotides (represented as reagents 1-4) and three washing
solutions (represented as W1 for the instrument cleaning solution,
W2 for the buffer for continuous operation, and W3 for the
nucleotide wash accelerant such as apyrase) are pressurized using
the same pressure source (e.g., nitrogen, argon, helium, or other
inert gas). The wash solutions may be individually pressurized
using separate valves (valves V5, V7 and V9) whereas the reagents
are pressurized using the same valve (V2). A circular arrangement
(preferably on both sides of the manifold) allows the flow of
buffer (W2) with selective introduction of either W3, R1, R2, R3 or
R4. The flow direction over the solid support (which in FIG. 6 is a
chip) can be selected by appropriate opening and closing of valves
V13, V14, V4, V21, V22, V23 and V24. To prime reagents rapidly with
high flow rates through the system, a low fluid resistance can be
selected for either direction. The manifold includes a microfluidic
flow mixer and appropriate tubing between the manifold, and the
flow direction manifold introduces the appropriate compliance to
dampen flow fluctuations due to opening and closing of valves.
[0135] FIGS. 7A-C show a three dimensional model of one embodiment
of the reagent manifold described herein. Of particular interest is
the Burker 0127 series valve which introduces reagents to a common
flow path by creating a flow chamber between the source and common
path. When these valves are closed, there is near zero unswept dead
volume, thus preventing contamination of common flow stream by the
source.
[0136] As will be appreciated, accurate and rapid sequencing of the
template is dependent on the extent to which and the rate at which
unincorporated nucleotides are removed from the system. Thus, rapid
and complete (or near complete) removal of unincorporated
nucleotides is important. The microfluidic system must also be
designed to maximize washing potentially resulting in smaller wash
volumes and wash duration.
[0137] As will also be appreciated to those of ordinary skill, the
rate of diffusion within the flow cell is effectively zero at any
boundary layer (including at the surface of the solid support where
the template is tethered). As a result, the rate of dNTP clearance
(or removal) at this surface is extremely low relative to the rate
of dNTP clearance from the center of the fluid flow (or flow cell).
The shape of the flow cell will also affect clearance rates and
efficacy. For example, it has been estimated that for cylindrical
systems (or flow cells) three volume exchanges are needed to remove
on the order of about 98% of the unincorporated dNTP, while for
non-cylindrical systems (or flow cells) seven volume exchanges are
needed to achieve the same degree of dNTP clearance. In one
embodiment, the flow cell is a rectangle of very limited height or
depth, akin to a rectangular slit.
[0138] One way of addressing this issue is to distance the template
from the surface by introducing a linker (or spacer, as these terms
are used interchangeably and are understood in the art) between the
surface and the template (i.e., attaching the template to the
surface indirectly via the linker). Moreover, the linker length may
be increased or extended sufficiently to position the template away
from the surface. This is illustrated in FIG. 8. In some
embodiments, the bead position is at about 1-15% or 1-5% of the
total flow cell height from the surface, as it is these regions in
the flow cell in which there is a linear relationship between
height and flow velocity. The bead position may also be at about
10-20% of the total length of the molecule.
[0139] The spacers may be any of those known in the art provided
they are inert to the various reaction substrates, enzymes and
products used in the reactions of the invention. A suitable linker
is polyethylene glycol (PEG). Various types of other commercially
available linkers are reactive with one or more of the following
groups: primary amines, secondary amines, sulphydryls, carboxyls,
carbonyls and carbohydrates. Examples of amine-specific linkers are
bis(sulfosuccinimidyl) suberate,
bis[2-(succinimidooxycarbonyloxy)ethyl]sulfone, disuccinimidyl
suberate, disuccinimidyl tartarate, dimethyl adipimate.2 HCl,
dimethyl pimelimidate.2 HCl, dimethyl suberimidate.2 HCl, and
ethylene glycolbis-[succinimidyl-[succinate]]. Linkers reactive
with sulfhydryl groups include bismaleimidohexane,
1,4-[3'-(2'-pyridyldithio)-propionamido)] butane,
1-[p-azidosalicylamido]-4-[iodoacetamido] butane, and
N-[4-(p-azidosalicylamido) butyl]-3'-[2'-pyridyldithio]
propionamide. Linkers preferentially reactive with carbohydrates
include azidobenzoyl hydrazine. Linkers preferentially reactive
with carboxyl groups include 4-[p-azidosalicylamido] butylamine.
Heterobifunctional linkers that react with amines and sulfhydryls
include N-succinimidyl-3[2-pyridyldithio] propionate, succinimidyl
[4-iodoacetyl]aminobenzoate, succinimidyl
4[N-maleimidomethyl]cyclohexane-1-carboxylate,
m-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester, sulfosuccinimidyl
6-[3[2-pyridyldithio]propionamido]hexanoate, and sulfosuccinimidyl
4-[N-maleimidomethyl] cyclohexane-1-carboxylate. Heterobifunctional
linkers that react with carboxyl and amine groups include
1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]-carbodiimide hydrochloride.
Heterobifunctional linkers that react with carbohydrates and
sulfhydryls include
4-[N-maleimidomethyl]-cyclohexane-1-carboxylhydrazide.2 HCl,
4-(4-N-maleimidophenyl)-butyric acid hydrazide.2 HCl, and
3[2-pyridyldithio] propionyl hydrazide.
[0140] Clearance of unincorporated nucleotides can also be
facilitated in part or in whole through the use of apyrase which
degrades unincorporated dNTPs and renders them unsuitable for
further incorporation. The apyrase may be free flowing, added to
the wash buffer, and introduced into the flow cell once
incorporation of any given nucleotide triphosphate type has ceased
(as indicated by the cessation of any above-background movement by
the detectable moiety at the end of the template). Alternatively or
additionally, apyrase may be fixed or immobilized within the flow
cell such as for example to the solid support surface (to which the
template is also fixed or immobilized). This may occur through the
use of a linker in order to make the enzyme more accessible and to
remove any steric hindrance relating to close proximity to the
surface. Apyrase may be attached to a variety of linkers that
differ in length. In this way, apyrase may be present in a variety
of flow streams within the flow cell, including those closer to the
walls and those that are closer to or at the center flow streams.
As discussed above, it is the flow streams near the walls which
travel with low velocity and unincorporated dNTPs present in these
flow streams are less likely to be cleared away. Having apyrase in
these flow streams should improve removal of these dNTPs. This will
increase the likelihood that changes in template length are a
result of incorporation of a dNTP newly introduced into the flow
cell rather than a residual and unincorporated dNTP that remains in
the flow cell after washing.
[0141] Another important consideration in achieving efficient
incorporation and accurate measurement of changes in template
length is to prevent interaction of the template or the observable
moiety on the end of the template (e.g., a magnetic bead) with the
solid surface. Interactions between the surface and the template or
the moiety, whether they be ionic, physical or otherwise, may
inhibit the free movement of the template or moiety, and thereby
interfere with monitoring of the template and moiety. This can be
avoided in a number of ways. For example, such interactions can be
reduced or prevented altogether by coating the solid surface with a
layer of passivating molecules. Suitable passivation molecules
include inert polymeric materials such as but not limited to
polyethylene glycol (PEG) or highly branched dextran (Floyd et al.
PNAS 105:15382 (2008)), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Ficoll or
bovine serum albumin (BSA), for example. PEG of various molecular
weights can be used including but not limited to PEG-8000 (8 kDa),
PEG-12000 (12 kDa), or PEG-20000 (20 kDa). Coating of the solid
support can be accomplished by any of the covalent or non-covalent
linking methods discussed herein, or by dynamic passivation by
adding the passivation molecules to all flowthroughs including
reagent flowthroughs and washes.
[0142] Passivation efficiency can be increased through the use of
longer chain PEG, including for example 40 kDa PEG (JenKem
Technology USA Inc., Allen, Tex.), as well through the use of
linear and/or branched 10-30 kDa PEG (NOF Corporation, Tokyo,
Japan). The PEGs may be functionalized such as heterobifunctional
derivatives. Such derivatives can then be attached to other
molecules useful in the reactions and/or washes. As an example, two
or more types of PEGs of differing lengths could be applied to the
solid support, providing a lawn of shorter PEGs with interspersed
longer PEGs at a frequency determined by both the relative binding
efficiencies and respective molecular concentration (or ratios) of
the two PEGs.
[0143] In one embodiment, apyrase may be conjugated to one of the
immobilized PEG populations. In this way, apyrase may be
continually present to degrade unincorporated residual dNTPs
thereby potentially reducing wash volumes and times between cycles.
Clearly dNTPs are provided in concentrations sufficient to allow
maximum incorporation even in the presence of the tethered apyrase.
In another embodiment, oligonucleotide primers could be conjugated
to one or more of the PEG populations to permit subsequent target
or template binding. In still other embodiments, polymerases used
in the sequencing reactions may be conjugated to one or more of the
PEG populations. In still other embodiments, a variety of molecules
could be attached to a single support surface via the different PEG
populations. As an example, apyrase could be provided attached to 8
kDa PEG, oligonucleotide primers could be provided attached to 40
kDa PEG, and both types of PEG could be immobilized on the same
surface resulting in a mixed functionality surface.
[0144] An alternative method of reducing interactions between the
surface and an observable moiety that is a magnetic bead is the
application of a magnetic field that exerts a small (e.g.,
typically 1 pN or less) force to the bead in the upwards direction,
away from and perpendicular to the surface and the flow (Lee et al.
Nature 440:246-9 (2006)). The upward force is small in comparison
with the horizontal drag force, resulting in a stretching of the
template predominantly in the horizontal direction, leaving
unaffected the ability to measure its length by tracking bead
position. The small upward force will be large enough, however, to
lift the bead away from the surface to prevent any interaction
between it and the surface. As will be appreciated, this approach
also moves the template into more centralized stream lines and
flows within the flow cell, thereby capitalizing on the higher
solution velocity, increased effective flow and thus stability
offered by this position in the flow cell.
5. Sequencing Reaction
[0145] In some aspects of the invention, the sequencing methods are
referred to as sequencing-by-synthesis reactions. This means that
determining the sequence of a first nucleic acid requires the
synthesis of a second nucleic acid using the first as a template.
In this way, the sequence of the second nucleic acid is determined
from the order and number of incorporated dNTPs, and the sequence
of the first nucleic acid is determined as the complement of the
first nucleic acid sequence. The methods of the invention detect
dNTP incorporation by a change in length of the template and not be
directly observing the addition of the dNTP to nucleic acid being
synthesized. As a result, the dNTP can be natural dNTP (i.e., dNTP
that lack any modification including any exogenous detectable label
such as a fluorophore). As should be clear from this disclosure,
the sequencing methods of the invention also require that the
template remains intact.
[0146] Some aspects of the invention involve sequencing methods
that are described as occurring in the absence of fluorescence or
in a non-fluorescent manner. These characterizations mean that the
methods can be carried out without detection of fluorescence,
particularly without detection of fluorescence from each
incorporated dNTP. Embodiments of these methods therefore may
employ natural dNTPs that have not been modified by addition of an
exogenous fluorophore. These characterizations do not exclude
however the possibility that the observable moiety conjugated to
the free end of the template is itself fluorescent. In this latter
instance, changes in the length of the template may be visualized
via the fluorescence of the observable moiety rather than any
fluorescence from individually incorporated dNTP.
[0147] Similarly, it will also be understood that the sequencing
methods provided herein are able to detect nucleotide incorporation
by detecting the observable moiety itself (e.g., as is possible
with a CMOS contact imager). Thus, in some embodiments, the
observable moieties are detected directly and without the need for
an enzyme-mediated event. An example of enzymatically detected
nucleotide incorporation is pyrosequencing coupled with sulfurylase
and luciferase mediated detection of released inorganic
pyrophosphate. (See Leamon and Rothberg, Chemical Reviews,
"Cramming More Sequencing Reactions onto Microreactor Chips",
2006.) Thus, aspects of the invention are referred to as
non-enzymatic methods (or as detecting nucleotide incorporation
non-enzymatically) since nucleotide incorporation can be detected
in the absence of enzyme-generated signals.
[0148] The invention contemplates performing a plurality of
different sequencing reactions simultaneously within the same flow
cell or on the same solid support. Each sequencing reaction yields
information about one template immobilized on the solid support.
The number of templates that can be sequenced in a single run will
depend on the expected length of the template and the area of the
solid support. Therefore depending on the embodiment, at least 100,
at least 200, at least 300, at least 400, at least 500, at least
600, at least 700, at least 800, at least 900, or at least 1000
templates may be immobilized on a solid support and thus sequenced
simultaneously. In still other embodiments, 100-500, 100-750,
100-1000, 500-1000, 600-1000, 700-1000, 800-1000, 900-1000,
1000-2000, 2000-3000, 3000-4000, 4000-5000, 5000-10000, or more
templates may be sequenced simultaneously. Table 1 shows that the
solid support can be configured to have 1.6 pixels per 2.8 .mu.m
bead.
[0149] The sequencing reaction is carried out by incorporating
dNTPs into a newly synthesized nucleic acid strand that is
hybridized to the template. The newly synthesized strand may derive
from a primer that is bound to the template or from other molecule
from which polymerase-mediated extension can proceed. The primers
may be hairpin primers.
[0150] In one non-limiting example, the sequencing reaction may be
commenced by contacting templates with primers under conditions
that permit their hybridization, and contacting template/primer
hybrids with polymerases. Such contacting may occur before, during
and/or after immobilization to the solid support. In an important
embodiment, it occurs following immobilization to the solid
support.
[0151] Once the primers and polymerases are bound to the template,
repeated cycles of reagents are flowed into and through the flow
cell. When the reagent flow contains a nucleotide that is
complementary to the nucleotide on the template that is directly
downstream of the 3' end of the primer, the polymerase will
incorporate the dNTP. If contiguous downstream positions on the
template are occupied by identical nucleotides (referred to herein
as a homopolymer), the polymerase will incorporate an identical
number of complementary dNTPs. Such incorporation will cease when
the dNTP in flow is not complementary to the next available
nucleotide on the template. The amount of flowed dNTP and the time
of such flow will respectively exceed the number of complementary
bases on the template and the time needed to incorporate all
possible dNTPs.
[0152] Importantly, incorporation of the complementary dNTPs occurs
at more than one of the bound primers. More preferably,
incorporation occurs at least 10%, at least 25%, at least 50%, at
least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or at all of
the bound primers. The percentage of primers may depend upon the
number of target copies in the template. For some embodiments,
incorporation occurs at least 30, at least 35, at least 40, at
least 45, at least 50, at least 60, at least 70, at least 80, at
least 90, at least 100 or more primers per individual template. It
will be understood that the invention contemplates incorporating
dNTPs at as many of the hybridized primers on a given template in
order to increase signal to noise ratio by increasing the magnitude
of the length change that occurs (whether it is an increase or
decrease in length).
[0153] As part of the sequencing reaction, a dNTP will be ligated
to (or "incorporated into" as used herein) the 3' of the newly
synthesized strand (or the 3' end of the sequencing primer in the
case of the first incorporated dNTP) if its complementary
nucleotide is present at that same location on the template nucleic
acid. Incorporation of the introduced dNTP converts a single
stranded region of the template into a double stranded region, and
this conversion is then reflected in a change in length of the
template under tension. The change in length is detected by
determining and monitoring the position of the observable moiety
(e.g., a bead) located at the free end of the template. Therefore,
if the bead position is unchanged after any given flow through,
then no dNTPs have been incorporated and one can conclude that the
flow through dNTP was not complementary to the next available
nucleotide in the template. If a change in position of the moiety
is detected, then the flow through dNTP was complementary and was
incorporated into the newly synthesized strand. dNTPs may be flowed
in any order provided the order is known and is preferably kept
constant throughout the sequencing run.
[0154] The targets may be engineered to render a template having an
additional known nucleotide sequence just 3' of the hybridized
primer. This sequence is referred to herein as a test or "key"
sequence. This known sequence should then be the first sequence to
read out in a sequencing reaction and it can be used to as an
internal standard to confirm that correct dNTP incorporation is
occurring. These early incorporation events can also be used to
locate the observable moiety and to determine the extent of
movement per incorporation event for each template. In these
embodiments, the sequence may be identical between templates. The
sequence can also be used to denote information about the template
(and thus usually the target also). For example, it can be used to
denote the source of the target and/or conditions used to amplify
the target. In these embodiments, the sequence may differ between
templates. The length of the sequence may be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 10, 15, 20, or more nucleotides.
[0155] As the template/primer hybrid becomes increasingly
double-stranded with every nucleotide incorporation, the template
length changes. If the force applied to the template is less than 6
pN, then the template lengthens with each incorporation. If the
force is greater than 6 pN, then the template shortens with each
incorporation.
[0156] In some embodiments, the invention contemplates using forces
ranging from about 0.5 pN to about 12 pN, preferably about 0.5 pN
to about 10 pN. In some embodiments, the force is about 0.5 pN,
about 0.6 pN, about 0.7 pN, about 0.8 pN, or about 0.9 pN, about
0.5 pN to about 1 pN, about 0.6 pN to about 1 pN, about 0.7 pN to
about 1 pN, about 0.8 pN to about 1 pN, or about 0.9 pN to about 1
pN. In some embodiments, the force can be about 1 pN, about 2 pN,
about 3 pN, about 4 pN, about 5 pN, about 6 pN, about 7 pN, about 8
pN, about 9 pN, about 10 pN, about 11 pN, or about 12 pN. In some
important embodiments, the force is about 2 pN to about 3 pN.
Polymerase activity will be unaffected by the forces contemplated
by the invention.
[0157] As used herein, a template that has a force exerted upon it
is referred to herein as being "under tension". The force may be
applied in a step wise fashion or through a gradually increasing
force until the desired force is reached. Typically, the templates
will be under the desired force during the extension (or
incorporation reactions). Alternatively, the force may be applied
during a wash or apyrase flow through, and the extension reaction
may occur in the absence of force (or at least in the absence of
sufficient force to extend the template sufficiently for purposes
of the invention). As stated herein, if the force is greater than 6
pN but less than about 12 pN, then templates will decrease in
length with nucleotide incorporation while if the force is less
than 6 pN, then templates will increase in length with nucleotide
incorporation.
[0158] The change in length of the template is monitored by
observing the position of the observable moiety and/or determining
the distance it moves after any given dNTP flow through. The
position of all of the tethered observable moieties within the
field of view are captured by a detector or sensor such as a CCD
camera or a contact imager and then stored to a computer for
further algorithmic analysis. The relative position of the moiety
following each and every dNTP flow is then matched to the dNTP in
each respective flow, and in so doing the sequence of the template
is determined. No change in template length is expected during
washes.
[0159] The invention contemplates the generation of fine and gross
sequencing information useful for assembly of individual nucleic
acid fragments, assembly and orientation of larger contigs such as
those used in large scale sequencing analyses, or assembly or
complete genomic sequences from smaller sequenced fragments. In the
past, optical maps (Schwartz et al. Science 262, 110-4 (1993);
Miller et al. Am Biotechnol Lab 9, 10 (1991); Johnson et al. Genet
Anal Tech Appl 8, 75-6 (1991)) have proven a valuable tool to aid
genomic assemblies. The methods and systems described herein can be
used to detect the same type of orienting patterns or landmarks in
a genome as detected in known sequencing methodologies in a manner
completely compatible with the various data output.
[0160] In one aspect, the invention contemplates combining three of
the four nucleotides and flowing that combination through the flow
cell with the remaining nucleotide flowed through separately. As an
example, one flow would include dATP, dCTP and dGTP while the other
separate flow would include dTTP. During the flow through of the
combined dNTPs, primers would be extended up to adenine residues on
the template, in this particular example. Nucleotide incorporation
would only occur at adenine residues when dTTP is flowed through.
This process will generate a map indicating the presence of adenine
residues on the template (or conversely incorporation of dTTP into
the newly synthesized strand) compared to the presence of the
remaining residues (i.e., cytidine, guanine or thymidine residues
in the template, or conversely incorporation of dGTP, dCTP or dATP,
respectively, into the newly synthesized strand). This can also
generate a map of the length and position of sequence without
adenine homopolymers and a map of the length and position of
sequence with adenine homopolymers, as these features could be
identifying for each fragment.
[0161] Once such a map is generated, it can be used as a scaffold
for shorter, base-by-base reads permitting assembly and orientation
of data from all reads. FIG. 17 is a schematic representation of
contig assembly and orientation using data from such a sequencing
reaction. The position and length of T nucleotide tracts relative
to tracts comprised solely of A, C and G nucleotides permits five
shorter reads to be effectively over-lapped and oriented against
the larger genome.
[0162] A typical sequencing cycle for some aspects of the invention
may include washing of the flow chamber (and wells) with wash
buffer, measurement of the position of the observable moiety
tethered to the end of the template nucleic acid, introduction of a
first dNTP species (e.g., dATP) into the flow chamber in the
presence of polymerase, measurement of the position of the
observable moiety, flow through of apyrase optionally in wash
buffer, flow through of wash buffer, introduction of a second dNTP
species in the presence of polymerase, and so on. This process is
continued until all 4 dNTP (i.e., dATP, dCTP, dGTP and dTTP) have
been flowed through the chamber and allowed to incorporate into the
newly synthesized strands. This 4-nucleotide cycle may be repeated
any number of times including but not limited to 10, 25, 50, 100,
200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000 or more times. The
number of cycles will be governed by the length of the target being
sequenced and the need to replenish reaction reagents, in
particular the dNTP stocks and wash buffers. Thus, the length of
sequence that may be determined using the methods of the invention
may be at least 50 nucleotides, at least 100 nucleotides, at least
200 nucleotides, at least 300 nucleotides, at least 400
nucleotides, at least 500 nucleotides, at least 600 nucleotides, at
least 700 nucleotides, at least 800 nucleotides, at least 900
nucleotides, up to and including 1000 nucleotides, 1500
nucleotides, 2000 nucleotides or more nucleotides.
[0163] Suitable polymerases can be DNA polymerases, RNA
polymerases, or subunits thereof, provided such subunits are
capable of synthesizing a new nucleic acid strand based on the
template and starting from the hybridized primer. An example of a
suitable polymerase subunit is the exo-version of the Klenow
fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I which lacks 3' to 5'
exonuclease activity. Other suitable polymerases include T4 exo-,
Therminator, and Bst polymerases. The polymerase may be free in
solution (and may be present in wash and/or dNTP solutions) or it
may be fixed to the solid support, one or more walls of the flow
cell, the template, or the primers.
[0164] In some embodiments, the methods provided herein contemplate
the use of a tethered polymerase, as shown in FIG. 8A. The
polymerase may be tethered to the solid support or the template
directly or indirectly (e.g., via a linker), and either covalently
or non-covalently. Such tethering will increase enzyme processivity
(i.e., the length of time the polymerase remains on the template
and thus the number of nucleotides that are incorporated by the
polymerase before it dissociates from the template). It will also
reduce the amount of enzyme needed for the sequencing reaction
since the enzyme will not be washed away with each flow through.
Thus in one embodiment, the polymerase may be tethered (or
attached) to the template or to primers hybridized to the template.
Tethering to the template can be achieved through the use of a
sliding clamp or a ring structure. In one embodiment, the
polymerase acting on a primer is tethered to the 5' end of the
primer immediately downstream. The polymerase may be tethered to
the downstream primer using a double stranded oligonucleotide. Such
an oligonucleotide may range in length in some embodiments from
about 100-200 nucleotides. The oligonucleotide can be annealed to
the template, of which only the most 3' 20 nucleotides are
complementary (and act as primer). The exposed 5' tail is annealed
to an oligonucleotide comprising a biotin at its 3' end, followed
by the addition of a polymerase that is attached, covalently or
non-covalently to streptavidin (preferably monomeric streptavidin)
(Wu et al. J. Biol. Chem. 280(24):23225-23231 (2005); Howarth et
al., Nature Methods 3:267 (2006)). Coupling of the polymerase to
DNA can be achieved in other ways including, for example, using DNA
modified with nitrilotriacetate (NTA) which has high affinity to a
His-tag on a recombinant polymerase protein via the complexation of
Ni(2+) (Biotechnol Lett. 30(11):2001-6 (2008)). Chemical coupling
using engineered sulfhydryl groups or C-terminal thioester groups
is another possible way to conjugate DNA to protein (Muir et al
PNAS 95:6705-6710 (1998)).
[0165] Apyrase is an enzyme that degrades residual unincorporated
nucleotides converting them into di- and ultimately mono-phosphates
(and thereby rendering them unsuitable for DNA synthesis). It is
therefore useful for degrading dNTPs that are not incorporated
and/or that are in excess following a dNTP flow through. It is
important that excess and/or unreacted dNTP be washed away before
introduction of the subsequent dNTP in order to accurately
determine the nucleotide that is incorporated and that is
associated with the change in length of the template. Accordingly,
addition of apyrase between the introduction of different dNTPs
removes excess dNTPs that would otherwise confuse the sequencing
data.
[0166] Additional amounts of sequencing reaction reagents such as
those described above may be added throughout the reaction
particularly if depletion of these reagents is expected, although
in some cases this may not be necessary. For example, additional
polymerase, DTT, SBB and the like may be added if necessary.
[0167] The sequencing reaction can be run at a range of
temperatures. Typically, the reaction is run in the range of
30-60.degree. C., 35-55.degree. C., or 40-45.degree. C. It may be
preferable in some embodiments to run the reaction at temperatures
that prevent formation of secondary structure in the template.
However this temperature must also accommodate binding of the
primer (and the newly synthesized strand) to the template and the
reduced half-life of apyrase at higher temperatures. A suitable
temperature is about 41.degree. C. The solutions including the wash
buffers and the dNTP solutions are generally warmed to these
temperatures in order not to alter the temperature in the flow
cell. The wash buffer containing apyrase however is preferably
maintained at a lower temperature in order to extend its half-life.
Typically, this solution is maintained at about 4-15.degree. C.,
and more preferably at about 4-10.degree. C.
[0168] The length of the oligonucleotide will be dictated by the
length of the target. If a read-length of 1,000 bases is desired,
the ssDNA region between two hybridized primers (essentially the
length of the target) is at least about 1,000 nucleotides. Assuming
a 3 pN flow, this number of nucleotides represents a length of
about 50 nm in length, equivalent to about 150 base pair dsDNA. The
activity of the tethered polymerase will remain on the primer
upstream from that to which it is tethered because of the flow. An
additional advantage of this configuration is that the distance to
be covered by the tether becomes shorter as the polymerase
synthesizes more and therefore the system actually improves at
longer read lengths.
[0169] Other aspects of the invention are not
sequencing-by-synthesis methods. In these aspects, sequencing may
be carried out by hybridizing oligonucleotides (or probes) of known
sequence to immobilized templates and detecting such hybridization
by changes in the length of the template. The oligonucleotides may
or may not have exogenous detectable labels on them, such as
fluorophores or other optical labels. The invention is independent
of the presence of such labels as the methods do not rely on
detecting the hybridized oligonucleotides themselves but rather
detecting the change in template length as a result of such
hybridization.
[0170] This aspect of the invention contemplates obtaining sequence
by flowing oligonucleotides over the immobilized template under
conditions that allow the oligonucleotides to bind to the template
if complementarity exists. Binding of the oligonucleotides results
in conversion of single stranded bases into double stranded base
pairs and therefore impacts the length of the template. The
conditions may chosen to either maintain hybridization of the
oligonucleotides throughout the sequencing reaction or to remove
the oligonucleotides prior to flowing through subsequent
oligonucleotides. The latter instance will likely increase the time
to sequence and therefore the first instance may be preferable.
[0171] The oligonucleotides may be of any length including without
limitation 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more nucleotides in
length. They may be composed of natural or non-natural bases and
backbones. Examples include peptide nucleic acids (PNA), locked
nucleic acids (LNA), among others. The backbone may be comprised of
phosphodiester linkages, and/or some modification thereof including
but not limited to phosphorothioate linkages.
6. Other Applications
[0172] It will be understood that the sequencing methods provided
herein have a number of applications including without limitation
determining partial or complete nucleotide sequence of a nucleic
acid (or a collection of nucleic acids such as exist in a genome,
including mammalian genomes and more particularly human genomes),
determining the presence or absence of a nucleic acid in a sample
(as can be useful in for example diagnostic and forensic methods),
determining whether the nucleic acid comprises a mutation or
variation in sequence (such as for example an allelic variation
including a single nucleotide polymorphism), determining whether a
known nucleic acid has undergone mutation resulting in the
generation of a new species (such as may be the underlying cause of
antibiotic resistant microorganisms), determining the presence of a
genetically modified organism or genetically engineered nucleic
acids, determining whether and what genetic differences exist
between two samples (such as for example normal tissue and diseased
tissue), determining what therapeutic regimen will be most
effective to treat a subject having a particular condition as can
be determined by the subject's genetic make-up, and genotyping
(e.g., analyzing one or more genetic loci to determine for example
carrier status). In some of these embodiments, the nucleotide
sequence determined using the methods of the invention may be
compared to a known or reference sequence in order to orient the
obtained sequence and/or to identify differences between the two.
This may help to identify genetic variation and mutation. The known
or reference sequence may be a previously determined sequence (for
example, resulting from the complete genomic sequencing of a
species).
[0173] The methods described herein can also be used to aid in the
identification and treatment of condition. For example, the methods
can be used for identifying a sequence associated with a particular
condition or for identifying a sequence that is used to diagnose
the absence of a particular condition. The samples being analyzed
may be from any subject including humans. The condition may be
cancer, a non-cancerous neurodegenerative condition, or an
infection.
[0174] The methods can also be used to identify a sequence
associated with a positive response to an agent. The method may
comprise sequencing DNA from a plurality of subjects that exhibited
a positive response and from a plurality of subjects that exhibited
a negative response to an agent using one or more sequencing
methods provided herein, and identifying a common sequence in the
plurality of subjects that exhibited a positive response or from
the subjects that exhibited a negative response that this sequence
is not present in the other plurality of subjects. Preferably, the
subject is a mammal, and more preferably a human.
[0175] The methods described herein may be automated such that the
sequencing reactions are performed via robotics. In addition, the
sequencing data obtained from a detector or a sensor may be input
to a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular
phone, a video game system, or a television, so that a user can
monitor the progress of the sequencing reactions remotely.
[0176] The invention further contemplates kits comprising the
various reagents necessary to perform the amplification and/or
sequencing reactions and instructions of use according to the
methods set forth herein.
[0177] One kit comprises one or more containers housing wash
buffer, one or more containers each containing one of the following
reagents: dATP buffer, dCTP buffer, dGTP buffer or dTTP buffer,
dATP, dCTP, dGTP and dTTP stocks, apyrase, SSB, and polymerase.
Importantly the kits comprise only naturally occurring dNTPs. The
kit may additionally contain a contact sensor such as but not
limited to a CMOS contact imager.
7. Resolution
[0178] The methods provided herein are dependent upon detecting
incorporation of single nucleotides at each copy of a target in the
template. As discussed herein, it is the relative movement of the
observable moiety following flow through of single or combined
nucleotides that indicates nucleotide incorporation. The limit of
resolution is dependent upon the resolution of the detection system
used.
[0179] Single base resolutions (i.e., distances or changes in
distance on the order of 3.7.+-.0.6 .ANG.) have been reported with
extensive laser instruments (Abbondanzieri et al. Nature 438, 460-5
(2005)). However since the associated system throughput is tightly
constrained by the resolution required for such analysis (van Oijen
et al. Biopolymers 85, 144-53 (2007)), the statistical power of
these results is limited.
[0180] Flow stretching techniques, by comparison, utilize simpler,
less expensive instrumentation (Smith et al. Science 258, 1122-6
(1992)), and employ lower-resolution wide-field microscopy which
permits observation of many tethered templates simultaneously
across an approximately 1 mm.sup.2 field of view (van Oijen et al.
Science 301, 1235-8 (2003)). While this large field of view permits
observation of statistically relevant numbers of templates, the
resolution is substantially worse, with a lower limit of 10 nm
(i.e., 100 .ANG.) at a bandwidth of 2 Hz (Kim et al. Nat Meth 4,
397-399 (2007)). FIG. 10 can be used to calculate the difference in
relative lengths between ssDNA and dsDNA .lamda.-phage DNA at 3 pN
force. Based on calculations, this difference is approximately
12.75 .mu.m (i.e., the difference between 15.25 .mu.m (the length
of dsDNA .lamda.-phage at 3 pN) and 2.5 .mu.m (the length of ssDNA
.lamda.-phage at 3 pN). When divided by the 48,502 base length of
the DNA template, this converts to roughly 2.6 .ANG. per base, so a
100 .ANG. optical resolution equates to approximately 38 base pair
resolution. In other words, conversion of 38 nucleotides from a
single stranded to a double stranded form increases the length of a
nucleic acid by about 100 .ANG.. These calculations suggest that
incorporation of a single dNTP onto the newly synthesized strands
can be detected provided there are at least 38 (and preferably
more) copies of the target in the template. That is, the signal
from a single nucleotide incorporation must be amplified by at
least 38-fold in order to be detected. It should be understood that
the changes in template length are relatively independent of
template length. In other words, if the force applied to the
template is on the order of about 3 pN, then conversion of single
stranded base to a base pair will increase length of the template
by 2.6 .ANG. regardless of whether the template is 1000 nucleotides
in length or a 10.sup.6 nucleotides in length. The invention
however contemplates that each template can be internally
calibrated to determine absolute change in length as a result of
single (or multiple) nucleotide incorporations using the key
(known) sequences that are first sequenced. In this way, the extent
to which the template will extend per nucleotide incorporation can
be determined and used to analyze each template individually.
[0181] The templates typically will contain 10.sup.3 or more copies
of the original circularized target nucleic acid. Each of the
copies possesses an identical primer site, and each copy serves as
a site for polymerase-based nucleotide incorporation and nucleic
acid extension. As a result, the replicated copies on a single
template undergo simultaneous and synchronous conversion from a
single-stranded region to a double-stranded region at their 3' ends
as each of the newly synthesized strands extends, thereby
increasing the length of the template under flow. Thus, rather than
incorporating a single nucleotide, the process incorporates
simultaneously and synchronously a plurality of nucleotides. The
number incorporated will depend on the target sequence (e.g., the
presence or absence of a homopolymer stretch), the number of target
copies in the template, the efficiency of binding of the primer,
and the efficiency of polymerase extension at each site.
[0182] While lateral (i.e., x or y direction, which is in the plane
perpendicular to the optical axis) optical measurement are possible
for resolution on the order of tens of bases, on hundreds or
thousands of beads simultaneously, z-axis measurements may allow
simultaneous measurements and offer improved performance while
retaining all of the benefits of wide field view optical
microscopy. In addition, a higher density packing of tethered beads
can be achieved since additional x by y area is not needed for
elongation. Alternative tensioning forces could be applied, such as
magnetic forces, while utilizing x or y direction flow merely for
reagent delivery. In these instances, the invention contemplates
that the template can be measured (i.e., the bead position can be
determined) in the absence of flow. A stretching force parallel to
the optical axis may be exerted by a magnetic, allowing templates
to be stretched in a vertical direction, perpendicular to the solid
substrate to which they are anchored. White light interferometric
measurements can detect z-axis distance changes with approximately
1 .ANG. resolution (Kim et al. Nat Meth 4, 397-399 (2007)), which
is below the intrinsic Brownian motion distances.
[0183] It should also be noted that the accuracy of the flow
stretching method of the invention will depend on Brownian motion,
the random movement of particles through a liquid or gas. The
amplitude of these random movements by a tethered particle is
dependent on the force exerted on the tether. As an example, for
the 48,502 base .lamda.-phage DNA experiencing forces on the order
of 2 pN, this equates to roughly 10 nm (van Oijen et al. Science
301, 1235-8 (2003)). However, averaging these movements over one
second will decrease this value to approximately 5 nm. Additional
averaging will improve this limit by a factor equal to the square
root of the increase in acquisition time.
[0184] FIGS. 11A-F illustrate the RCA-based preparation of the
template, tethering of the template to the solid surface and
tethering of a bead to a template, and sequencing of the template
under flow-based tension. FIG. 11A illustrates oligonucleotide
primers that are immobilized to the surface of a slide through any
of the existing biological or chemical attachment processes
described herein. FIG. 11B illustrates circularized nucleic acids
that possess a primer site and a target nucleic acid and that are
hybridized to the immobilized primers via the complementary
sequence on the 3' end of the immobilized primer. FIG. 11C
illustrates the generation of the template as a result of extending
the immobilized primer. FIG. 11D illustrates the direction of flow,
as is contemplated in one embodiment, relative to the position of
the bead-conjugated template. FIG. 11E illustrates primers
hybridized to the plurality of primer sites on the template,
thereby forming short double-stranded regions of DNA along the
template. This serves to lengthen the template length under
hydrodynamic flow as indicated by the movement of the bead to the
right. FIG. 11F illustrates extension of primers hybridized to the
template and its effect on the length of the template under flow,
again as indicated by movement of the bead to the right. Addition
of polymerase and nucleotides complementary to the next available
position in the template results in polymerase-mediated primer
extension at all priming sites on a template, generating additional
double-stranded DNA regions and extending the length of the
template under flow forces less than 6 pN by a proportional amount.
This length increase during any specific nucleotide flow is
detected and measured as described herein.
[0185] The importance of using concatamerized templates such as
those generated by RCA is illustrated by the following calculation.
By replicating the target a thousand fold, the change in template
length associated with sequencing one base at each of the thousand
copies is effectively amplified from 2.6 .ANG.(i.e., the difference
in length achieved by converting a single stranded base into a
double stranded base pair, as discussed above based on FIG. 10) to
2600 .ANG. or 260 nm (i.e., the difference in length achieved by
converting 1000 single stranded based into 1000 double stranded
base pairs). Although RCA can amplify starting nucleic acids more
than 1000-fold, the minimum resolution for single base
incorporation on flow systems can be obtained with less than a
50-fold amplification, as discussed herein for simple optical
detection systems. As a further example, for an approximately 50 kb
template and a resolution of 10 nm (as can be achieved using simple
optical detection systems), read lengths in excess of 1 kb are
theoretically possible, as shown in Table 2. Subsequent
improvements in resolutions can be easily converted into increased
sequence read length per template without the need for greater
amplification.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 2 Relationship between minimum resolution and
maximum read length. ##STR00001##
[0186] Grey row indicates reported flow-based DNA tensioning data
as derived from van Oijen et al. Science 301, 1235-8 (2003).
[0187] The methods of the invention also facilitate sequencing of
homopolymer regions in the template. As used herein, homopolymer
regions are regions within the template that consist of two or more
contiguous identical nucleotides (e.g., A.sub.n, T.sub.n, C.sub.n,
or G.sub.n, wherein n is 2 or more). These regions are difficult to
sequence using some prior art approaches because it can be
difficult to discern between incorporation of one, two, three,
four, or more nucleotides of the same type. This situation does not
present an issue for the instant methods because the extension of
the template per nucleotide incorporation occurs independently of
every other nucleotide incorporation. Instead, the effective change
in template length scales linearly with homopolymer length. For
example, assuming a template having 1000 concatamerized copies of a
target under a 3 pN tension (see FIG. 10), a homopolymer that is 2
nucleotides in length will effectively result in 2000 nucleotide
incorporations which will increase the template length about 5200
.ANG. (or 520 nm), while a homopolymer that is 10 nucleotides in
length will effectively result in 10000 nucleotide incorporations
which will increase the template length about 26000 .ANG. (or 2.6
.mu.m). The absolute movement of the observable moiety (e.g., the
bead) increases as the homopolymer region increases in length,
while the absolute error on such measurements changes remains
unchanged. The resultant increase in "signal-to-noise" (i.e., the
measured length to error ratio) provides the possibility of greater
accuracy with increased homopolymer size, precisely the type of
sequence motif that challenges current next-generation sequencing
systems (Margulies et al. Nature 437, 376-80 (2005)).
8. Imaging/Detection System
[0188] The invention contemplates any variety of imaging devices
and systems capable of detecting the observable moiety at the end
of the template. The imaging device or system should be
sufficiently stable to visualize the changes in length of the
template.
[0189] One imaging system contemplated by the invention is a
computer controlled charged coupled device (CCD) camera attached to
a microscope situated above the solid support, as shown in FIG. 2.
The flow-based stretching methods provided by the invention have
the advantage of allowing a large number of events to be observed
per run (van Oijen et al. Biopolymers 85, 144-53 (2007)) through
the use of low resolution microscopy to produce the greatest field
of view. These configurations observe about 50-500 molecules (van
Oijen et al. Science 301, 1235-8 (2003)) per run.
[0190] Another imaging system contemplated by the invention employs
low-cost, commercially available contact image sensors, embodiments
of which are illustrated in FIGS. 12A and B. Contact image sensors
comprise an image sensor that is placed in very close proximity to
the object to be imaged. An illumination source (typically but not
necessarily from an LED) projects a shadow from the object directly
onto a linear array of detectors (in this case the pixels of a CMOS
chip), as opposed to imaging systems that require optical lenses
and/or mirrors to transmit light to a distant camera as shown in
FIG. 12A.
[0191] Certain currently available CMOS systems are comprised of
detector pixels smaller than the 2.8 micron diameter bead
(contemplated by one embodiment of the invention) and its projected
shadow. (See for example Micron Technology which offers 5 and 9
megapixel CMOS imagers with 1.75 and 2.25 micron pixels
respectively.) As a result, the location of the projected shadow of
the bead on the surface of the detector can be accurately
determined as shown in FIG. 13. Use of LEDs as the light source
allows these sensors to be highly power efficient, and the modular
nature of the detector allows them be smaller, lighter and less
expensive than CCD systems. As the maximum depth of field for the
sequencing reactions of the invention is limited by the height of
the flow cell, the contact imager's limited focal plane is not
detrimental, and has been shown to be effective for a variety of
biological applications including cell imaging (Ji et al. Circuits
and Systems, 2006. ISCAS 2006. Proceedings. 2006 IEEE International
Symposium on, 4 (2006)).
[0192] Thus, in some aspects, imaging of the observable moiety
(e.g., the 2.8 .mu.m bead) may occur using a CMOS image sensor,
modified to allow direct placement of the items to be imaged on the
imager surface, with a supporting fluidic cell. CMOS image sensors
may encapsulate light sensing, analog-to-digital conversion, and
associated support circuitry, on the same integrated circuit die
(chip). An example of such a CMOS sensor is shown in FIG. 14.
Supporting hardware will have functionality as depicted in FIG. 15.
The reader board will provide required timing signal communications
with the CMOS sensor, provide configuration commands to the CMOS
sensor, and receive digital image data acquired and digitized by
the CMOS sensor. The reader board will use programmable logic
(e.g., an FPGA(s)) as the stable timing and command interface
source. Image buffering will be via connected random access memory
(RAM). The reader board will be able to communicate with a PC over
a standard bus (e.g., USB) and may employ an interface controller
(e.g., USB controller) for this purpose.
[0193] The CMOS image reader board will provide the above
functionality in the form of a standard printed circuit board such
as depicted in FIG. 16. The connection to the CMOS sensor will be
designed for repeated connection and disconnection of a CMOS image
sensor, to facilitate frequent replacement of the CMOS image
sensor. Examples of such a connection are a ribbon cable with
releasable connector, a ZIF socket, standard connector, or
integrated circuit (IC) socket, but are not so limited.
[0194] It is to be fully appreciated that successful addition of a
CMOS chip to the platform would also enable applications that
utilize signals generated by any of the photon generating processes
known in the field such as fluorescence, luminescence (both
biological and chemical), and the like to track bead location and
movement.
[0195] Additionally, techniques wherein the template itself is
visualized, either through DNA-specific stains or incorporation or
hybridization of either fluorescent or light generating moieties
(e.g., fluorescently labeled nucleotides or probes) could be used
to measure the actual length of the template under tension rather
than the position of the bead.
[0196] The invention contemplates still other detection schemes for
measuring movement of the observable moiety, particularly when the
moiety is a bead. Thus, in another embodiment, the invention
contemplates measuring bead movement through an electrical
measurement of impedance (see Gawad et al. Lab Chip 1, 76-82
(2001); Fuller et al. Micro Total Analysis Systems 2000:
Proceedings of the [Mu] Tas 2000 Symposium, Held in Enschede, the
Netherlands, 14-18 May 2000 (2000); Sohn et al. PNAS 97, 10687
(2000)). Such measurements have been demonstrated using 3 .mu.m
polystyrene beads (Medoro et al. Sensors Journal, IEEE 3, 317-325
(2003)).
9. Detection, Measurement and Sequencing Software
[0197] The systems provided herein involve tracking and measuring
movement of observable moieties attached to templates such as
beads. This includes identification of the moiety, calculation of
its position (preferably with nanometer accuracy), and tracking
changes in its position over many nucleotide flows (FIG. 18). For
each flow, the set of tracked moieties is then updated, and
normalized movement information is output for each moiety. These
normalized movement data are interpreted by a base caller algorithm
executed on a computer such as a personal computer, a work station,
a networked computer, a distributed computing system, and the like,
as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. and
sequence data are output (e.g., to a file on a storage medium such
as a hard drive, on a screen display, both, or to other output
devices, such as to a network interface for transmission to another
computer or data store). Specific software tools are employed in
each of these phases, as described herein.
[0198] For convenience, the following example assumes the moiety is
a bead. Initially, a raw image is processed to identify a set of
beads contained within the image, and to determine, for each bead,
a sub-pixel position within the image. Beads can be found by, for
example, identifying local minima within the image. Bead positions
can be found using any suitable technique such as, for example, by
calculating a moment, and further refining that position with
multiple Gaussian fits over the bead pixels. The output Gaussian
fit parameters can be used to further remove poor fits, which are
typically image artifacts or multiple touching beads.
[0199] Bead position accuracy is important for achieving high
system throughput and for maximizing bead loading density. From
simulations of 12-bit gray-scale images with typical noise levels,
it was found that a bead ideally should occupy about 1.6 pixels in
the output image. Position accuracy may be obtained, for example,
by calculation of the center of mass of the bead, essentially a 2D
intensity-weighted moment calculation, such as described by Feng
and coworkers (Feng et al. Rev Sci Instruments 78, 053704-10
(2007)). Also important is the determination of the set of pixels
that influence the bead position (Feng et al. Rev Sci Instruments
78, 053704-10 (2007)). Improvements are provided over the published
methods by introducing local background average baseline intensity
calculations, thus improving the threshold determination for
bead-containing pixels. The position of the bead may be further
refined through the use of Gaussian curve fits to the beads, using
the moment calculation position as an initial input. A similar
method was shown by Yildiz et al. (Science 300, 2061-5 (2003)).
Further improvements in the position can be achieved by averaging
the calculated bead positions over multiple images, provided those
images represent the beads in a stable condition, such as would be
the case when any incorporation has been expected to go to
completion for a given flow.
[0200] An exemplary algorithm is as follows:
[0201] 1. Calculate a local reference image intensity by blurring
the original image with a standard Gaussian blur function, with
radius of 50 (or roughly 3% of the width of the image).
[0202] 2. Examine image for local minimums by considering each
pixel one at a time. A pixel is added as a potential bead if the
value of that pixel is equal to or less than each of the eight
surrounding pixels.
[0203] 3. Perform a moment (center of mass) calculation on the
pixel by first considering the 5 pixel x 5 pixel area centered at
the given pixel. Each pixel is compared to the local average
intensity at that location, and pixels with a value less than the
average background intensity value are summed, weighted by their
intensity delta from that background. This step will yield a
position within approximately 20 nm accuracy.
[0204] 4. Perform a Gaussian fit in both the horizontal and
vertical directions, using the previously calculated bead position
as an initial input to the fit. A simple levmar
(Levenberg-Marquardt) iterative approach yields a fast and accurate
refined bead position.
[0205] 5. Account for mechanical drift by subtracting out position
changes as detected by immobilized beads or other immobilized
reference markers.
[0206] 6. Perform an average of the calculated bead position for
each bead over multiple images, at least two images minimum. The
final set of bead positions is output for each nucleotide flow, for
use in the tracking portion.
[0207] Given a set of beads in one time frame, and a (similar) set
of beads in a later time frame, the goal is to track the beads
between the two frames, and thus determine the distance each bead
moves between frames. This process occurs for each frame in the
run. Here, a frame represents the calculated bead position for each
bead, after a nucleotide flow has occurred, and any incorporation
events have occurred.
[0208] A typical example is shown in Table 3.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 3 Item value CCD Pixel dim 4096 CCD pixel
pitch (.mu.m) 1.75 CCD pixels/bead 1.6 bead diameter (.mu.m) 2.8
bead coverage (%) 0.15 pixel area (.mu.m.sup.2) 51380224 plate
dimension (side) (.mu.m) 7168 bead area (.mu.m.sup.2) 7707034 beads
required 1251645 tracking percent 0.635 beads usable 794795
[0209] Tracking is complicated by the fact that, on average, only
about 56% of the beads move in any flow (assuming 2.25
incorporation events per 4 reagent flows). While small movements
are the most common, as seen with a 1 nucleotide incorporation, it
is important to account for the possible movements of up to an 8
nucleotide incorporation event (as may occur with a template
homopolymer that is 8 nucleotides in length). Beads from one frame
are linked to beads in the other frame by searching for the closest
bead pair between frames, for each bead.
[0210] A simulation modeling statistical bead movements over a 400
cycle run (i.e., 1600 individual nucleotide flows) demonstrated
that it is reasonable to expect to accurately track 63.5% of the
beads initially identified (FIG. 19). This assumes random initial
placement, 15% loading density (by area relative to the slide), and
20 nm movement for a one-base incorporation.
[0211] The base caller algorithm takes the output from the tracking
module and outputs sequence information per bead. The base caller
preferably has knowledge of the order of nucleotide flow for a
given run, and synchronizes that information with the tracking data
per flow. Single template strands will typically exhibit distance
movements that differ from bead to bead, with a normal
distribution. For each individual bead, the engineered key sequence
portion of the single molecule strand, which is first to sequence,
is used to normalize each bead by establishing the length the bead
will move for the various known extension lengths. Once normalized,
the bead movement found at each flow can be used to determine the
homopolymer length incorporated by a given nucleotide flow.
[0212] Various physical effects may reduce the clarity of the
resulting signal measured (distance moved per flow in this case)
over time. During the course of a typical run, it is possible that
some primers may fall off, or fail to extend (signal droop),
reagent activity may not completely extend in a timely manner on
all sites (incomplete extension), or a previous reagent may not be
completely washed out and could cause further incorporations during
subsequent nucleotide flows (carry forward). The base caller
algorithm preferably takes these effects into account, corrects for
them, and is able to call bases for the long reads desired of the
system.
[0213] The base caller algorithm takes the un-normalized
signal-processed measurements output from the signal processing
stage, along with the initial experiment data including reagent
flow order, DNA template key sequence information, etc. The base
caller algorithm converts this signal data into called bases. In
order to produce high quality long reads, it may be necessary to do
more than just linearly convert (by thresholding for example) the
measured signal into a called base associated with each reagent
flow. Many factors affect the signal measured, and the ability to
produce an accurate long read is dependent on the software's
ability to correctly de-convolve the signal and pull out the true
incorporation signal. In summary, a base caller algorithm should
correct for the effects of signal droop, background noise, carry
forward effects, and incomplete extension effects.
[0214] FIGS. 21A and B show base caller algorithm output for
uncorrected (A) and corrected (B) data. The un-corrected flow trace
quickly becomes difficult to interpret by eye. In the corrected
flow trace, the read sequence is readily apparent. Essentially,
over time, the signal degrades and experiences template phase
shifts. For a given incorporation event, the signal is the sum of
the signal generated by all of the DNA copies that extend in each
sensor. Initially all copies are in phase, but with each reagent
flow, some fraction fail to incorporate (incomplete extension),
some fraction extends normally, and some fraction further extends
due to previous reagents present (carry-forward). Normally, a state
transition diagram depicting this type of model would grow
O(N).sup.3, and traditional minimization approaches suffer from
this exponentially complex problem.
[0215] The invention provides a predictive approach that leverages
the fact that read-length is actually bounded, and thus there
exists a finite number of states the DNA may be in prior to any
nucleotide flow. So, rather than producing a O(N).sup.3 state
transition graph, there is a linear O(N) list that a computer
simulation may easily deal with. Given this list of states for the
template copies contained within the single molecule strand, a
model that shifts percentages around among those states is built,
and by applying the modeled states to a new nucleotide
incorporation event, a prediction of the signal is made for each of
a zero-mer incorporation through for example an eight-mer
incorporation, and a best-fit for that event can be made from the
measured signal, and the model updated with the new state
information. This approach proves to be extremely fast.
[0216] The invention therefore provides in other aspects methods
and algorithms, including software algorithms to be executed by a
computer, that relate to detection of beads, measurement of bead
movement, and sequencing of nucleic acids as a result thereof.
Certain algorithms present improvements over prior art methods for
detecting and monitoring moieties such as beads. These improvements
include determining and using local background average baseline
intensity, thereby improving the threshold determination for
bead-containing pixels. In these algorithms, a local background is
calculated and is subtracted from a test intensity value.
Importantly, local backgrounds are used rather than average
backgrounds that are calculated across the entire image. This
approach allows data to be obtained even from low quality
images.
[0217] Certain methods and algorithms involve the use of internal
reference moieties (e.g., beads) that are designed not to move as a
function of nucleotide incorporation. These reference moieties
however may move for other reasons, and it is expected that
moieties tethered to the template will move on average to the same
degree. Such movement is referred to herein as "background
movement". The invention contemplates subtracting such background
movement from the measured movement of template-tethered moieties
in order to more accurately identify movement that is the result of
nucleotide incorporation rather than movement caused by other
factors. Preferably, the reference moiety and the template-tethered
moiety are of the same type or nature (e.g., both are beads).
[0218] The base caller algorithm in some instances is designed to
take into consideration (or account for) various errors that can
occur during the sequencing reactions. Examples include incomplete
extension in which not all possible dNTPs are incorporated into one
or more of the newly synthesized strands, carry-forward errors in
which a fraction of unincorporated dNTPs remain in the flow cell
and are thus available for incorporation in subsequent steps, and
signal droop. A suitable algorithm can address one, some
combination, or all of these and other quantifiable errors.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Current XTM Sequencing Protocol
Example 1A
RCA Formation and Attachment to Slides for XTM Sequencing
[0219] Generation of Circles from Oligos Using CircLigase.TM. from
Epicentre (Follow Protocol with 5'P oligo of 50-70 bp)
[0220] Ligate 100 pmols of oligo in 200 .mu.L-60 mins at 60.degree.
C., 20 minutes 80.degree. C. (100 .mu.M ssDNA template: 1 .mu.l
(final 0.5 .mu.mol/.mu.l) Reaction conditions: 10.times.
CircLigase.TM. Buffer: 20 .mu.l, 1 mM ATP: 10 .mu.l, 20 mM MnCl2:
10 .mu.l, CircLigase.TM. (100 U/ul): 10 .mu.l, Water: 149 .mu.l
(TOTAL: 200 .mu.l)
[0221] ExoI treat with 5 .mu.L NEB ExoI directly in ligation
reaction after heat kill step--37.degree. C. for 45 min, 80.degree.
C. 20 minutes
[0222] Run 15% Urea PAGE gel to determine yield and gel shift
indicative of circularization--stain with SybrGold
[0223] Typical yield is 0.2 pmol/.mu.l
Generation of Circles from Double Stranded DNA Fragments (PCR or
Genomic Fragments)
[0224] Prepare 2 ug of (100 ul of 20 ng/ul) 5' biotinylated DNA
fragments (200-600 bp) by either PCR with 5' biotin forward primer,
or ligation of adaptors to each end with left adaptor having 5'
biotin moiety. Add equal volume of 2.times. binding and wash
buffer, (2M NaCl, 10 mM Tris HCl pH7.5, 1 mM EDTA) for a final
volume of 200 uL.
[0225] Immobilize DNA fragments to 10 uL streptavidin coated beads
(M280 streptavidin coated beads, Invitrogen) in 1.times. binding
and wash buffer Wash beads twice in dH2O using magnet to separate
beads. Melt DNA using alkaline wash (125 mM NaOH) and collect
supernatant containing ssDNA. Apply ssDNA to Microcon 30 filter
unit (Millipore), filter to dry, capturing the ssDNA on the filter
surface and then resuspend in original volume with 10 mM Tris HCl
pH 7.0, 1 mM EDTA.
[0226] Hybridize Guide oligo complementary to sequences at 5' and
3' end of DNA (adaptor sequence) such that 5' and 3' end of ssDNA
is juxtapose (ref 54). Ligate to close circle with T4 DNA ligase.
The Guide oligo can be functionalized at the 5' end for
immobilization onto the surface of the slide (e.g. 5' biotin,
5'Amino, 5' Sulfhydryl, for example).
Prehybridization of Primer with Circle
[0227] Hybridize 4 pmol of circles to 0.4 pmol of 5' NHS or biotin
labeled primer 9.5 .mu.l each of A & T circle (approx. 0.2
pmol/l each) 1 .mu.l of 0.4 .mu.M amino primer (TOTAL: 20
.mu.l)
[0228] 60.degree. C. for 5 minutes, -0.1 C/s to 50.degree. C. hold
for 5 min, -0.1.degree. C./s to 40.degree. C. hold for 5 minutes,
-0.1.degree. C./s to 15.degree. C., Hold at 15.degree. C. For above
20 .mu.l, add 2 .mu.l of 10.times. printing buffer (500 mM Sodium
Phosphate pH 8.5). For in tube RCA, use 5 .mu.l of circle/primer
mixture (i.e. 1 pmol of circle and 0.1 pmol of primer)
[0229] For above 5 .mu.l, add: [0230] 10.times. RepliPHI buffer: 2
.mu.l [0231] 1 mM DTT: 0.8 .mu.l [0232] 2 mM dNTP: 10 .mu.l [0233]
10 mg/ml BSA: 0.4 .mu.l [0234] Phi 29 polymerase: 1.4 .mu.l [0235]
G32: 0.2 .mu.l [0236] YIPP: 0.2 .mu.l [0237] (TOTAL: 20 .mu.l)
[0238] 30.degree. C. 20-60 min
[0239] Heat denature 45.degree. C. 15 min
[0240] Final concentration is 0.02 pmol/.mu.l use 20 .mu.l per
slide
Binding of Primer/Circles to Slides
[0241] For NHS peg slides (Microsurfaces Inc.), rinse slides in
1.times. PBS+10% glycerol then rinse once with 1.times. printing
buffer (50 mM Sodium Phosphate pH 8.5) and incubate 22 .mu.l of 5'
amino primer/circle hybridization solution (in printing buffer)
under cover slip in water tight hyb chambers (Corning) for 30
minutes at room temp.
[0242] For Bio peg slides (Microsurfaces Inc.) pretreat slides with
20 .mu.l of 20 .mu.g/ml streptavidin in 1.times. PBS+10% glycerol
in water tight hyb chambers (Corning) for 30 minutes at room temp.
Wash slides in 1.times. PBS+0.05% Tween 20. Incubate 20 .mu.l of 5'
dual biotin labeled primer/circle hybridization solution under
cover slip in water tight hyb chambers (Corning) for 30 minutes at
room temp
[0243] Wash slides bound with primer circles 3.times. in 1.times.
PBS+0.05% Tween20. For NHS slides block unreacted NHS sites with
deactivating agent (proprietary to Microsurfaces Inc., but 20 mM
Ethanolamine or 50 mM Tris acceptable) by flooding slide with 500
.mu.L, for 1.sup.st wash, replace with another 500 .mu.L for 15
min, and replace with another 500 .mu.L for 15 min at room
temperature.
[0244] Wash 3.times. in 1.times. PBS+0.05% Tween 20
RCA Reaction
On Slide
[0245] Use phi29 DNA polymerase from Epicentre and kit reagents--20
.mu.L per slide
[0246] Include G32 protein (1 .mu.L per 100 .mu.L reaction
volume)
[0247] Include yeast inorganic pyrophosphatase (1 .mu.l per 100
.mu.L reaction volume)
[0248] Reaction conditions: [0249] 10.times. RepliPHI buffer: 2
.mu.l [0250] 100 mM DTT: 0.8 .mu.l [0251] 10 mM dNTP: 2 .mu.l
[0252] 10 mg/ml BSA: 0.4 .mu.l [0253] Water: 13 .mu.l [0254] Phi 29
polymerase: 1.4 .mu.l [0255] G32: 0.2 .mu.l [0256] YIPP: 0.2 .mu.l
[0257] (TOTAL: 20 .mu.l)
[0258] If in Need to Add Sequencing Primer, Prepare 4 .mu.M and Add
1 .mu.L in 20 .mu.l Reaction (accordingly, water should be added as
12 .mu.l)
[0259] Wash slides 1.times. with 1.times. phi29 buffer
[0260] Incubate RCA reaction under clover clip for 20-60 minutes at
30.degree. C. Stop by floating cover slip in 1.times. PBS+50 mM
EDTA and incubating at 45.degree. C. for 15 minutes.
In Tube
[0261] The RCA reaction can be done in solution in a tube. The
reaction conditions are the same as the conditions employed for the
on slide RCA except no EDTA is used to stop the reaction.
Primer/circle template is prepared as above. The reaction is
stopped after incubation at 30.degree. C. for 20-60 minutes by
heating to 45.degree. C. for 15 minutes.
Labeling RCA ssDNA with BstL Incorporation of Modified dUTP
On Slide
[0262] Following heat kill of phi29, wash slide in 1.times.
Thermopol buffer
[0263] Add 20 ul BstL labeling reaction to slide and incubate at 45
C for 1 minute under coverslip.
[0264] Recipe: [0265] Water 14 .mu.l [0266] 10.times. Thermopol
Buffer: 2 .mu.l [0267] 10 mM each dNTP: 0.4 .mu.l [0268] 1 mM dUTP
with modification: 1.0 .mu.l [0269] Modified dUTP could include
biotin-dUTP, aminoallyl-dUTP or Digoxigenin-dUTP [0270] BstL DNA
polymerase: 1.0 .mu.l [0271] (TOTAL: 20 .mu.l)
[0272] Wash 3.times. in 1.times. PBS+0.05% Tween 20
[0273] Dip in 50 mM NaOH for 10 seconds to remove circles Wash
3.times. in 1.times. PBS+0.05% Tween 20
In Tube
[0274] If the RCA reaction was done in tube, then following heat
kill the 20 ul RCA has 20 ul of a 2.times. BstL labeling reaction
added
[0275] 2.times. BstL recipe [0276] Water 11.2 .mu.l [0277]
10.times. Thermopol Buffer: 4 .mu.l [0278] 10 mM each dNTP: 0.8
.mu.l [0279] 1 mM dUTP with modification: 2.0 .mu.A [0280] BstL DNA
polymerase: 2.0 .mu.l [0281] (TOTAL: 20 .mu.l)
[0282] Reaction tube incubated at 45.degree. C. for 1 minute
[0283] The reaction is stopped by the addition of 5 .mu.L 500 mM
EDTA
[0284] The reaction buffer is exchanged with printing buffer using
an Microcon 30 filter device from Millipore, Billerica Mass.
[0285] 300 .mu.L of water is added to the Microcon 30 filter and
the 40 .mu.L RCA reaction is added. The device is spun at max speed
on a bench top microfuge for 10 minutes (13000 rpm). Following the
centrifugation step, the filtrate is discarded. 40 .mu.L, of
1.times. printing buffer is added to the membrane, and the RCA
material withdrawn to a fresh tube.
[0286] The labeled RCA product can be bound directly to a
PEG-biotin or PEG-NHS slide depending on the choice of 5'
modification present on the RCA primer as described above for
primer/circle preparations.
[0287] Primer can be annealed to RCA product in tube. See
below.
Hybridize Sequencing Primer
On Slide
[0288] Add 1 pmol/.mu.l sequencing primer in 1.times. PBS+0.05%
Tween 20-20 .mu.L per slide
[0289] Incubate under cover slip at 65.degree. C. for 10 min,
50.degree. C. for 10 min, and 30.degree. C. for 10 min in hyb
chamber
[0290] Remove and cool to room temperature. Wash 3.times. in
1.times. PBS+0.05% Tween 20
[0291] Flood slide in 1.times. Thermopol buffer, Tap slide to
remove buffer
[0292] Prepare 10 .mu.L M280 beads (prewashed in 1.times.
thermopol) in 50 .mu.L 1.times. Thermopol.
[0293] Add 10 .mu.L BstL (80 U NEB).
[0294] Pipette 25 .mu.L Bead/polymerase mix to center of slide.
Allow to bind at room temperature for 15 min (for anti-DIG beads, a
2 hour incubation at room temperature is suggested). Load XTM flow
cell.
[0295] For Aminoallyl-End Labeled DNA:
[0296] Prepare M270-Epoxy bead stock solution at 10.sup.9/ml in 100
mM sodium borate buffer (pH 9.0).
[0297] Take 10 .mu.L of this stock solution and add 190 .mu.L of
sodium borate buffer and 100 .mu.L of 3M ammonium sulfate (final
1M).
[0298] After primer annealing and wash with 1.times. PBS+0.05%
Tween 20, pipette 25 bead/ammonium sulfate mix to center of
slide.
[0299] Allow to hybridize at 37.degree. C. overnight (16-24 hour)
by gently agitating.
[0300] Wash with 3.times.1.times. PBS+0.05% Tween20.
[0301] Flood slide in 1.times. Thermopol buffer, Tap slide to
remove buffer.
[0302] Prepare 10 .mu.L BstL in 300 uL 1.times. Thermopol
[0303] Pipette 25 .mu.L polymerase/Thermopol mix to center of
slide. Allow to bind at RT for 15 min. Load XTM flow cell.
In Tube
[0304] Add sequencing primer to a final concentration of 1 uM in
1.times. Printing Buffer.
[0305] Hybridize in thermocycler. [0306] 95.degree. C. for 2
minutes [0307] 80.degree. C. for 1 minute [0308] -1.degree. C./min
to 40.degree. C. [0309] 40.degree. C. for 1 minute [0310] 4.degree.
C. hold
Binding of RCA to Slides
[0311] For NHS peg slides (Microsurfaces Inc.) wash slides in
1.times. PBS+10% glycerol then rinse once with 1.times. printing
buffer (50 mM Sodium Phosphate pH 8.5). Wipe off the liquid leaving
just the center of the slide wet (this is the place which flow cell
will fit in later). Build the chamber by grease pen. Make sure
there is no leak by pipetting in/out 100 .mu.l of 1.times. printing
buffer a few times.
[0312] Pipette 100 .mu.l of RCA solution in the chamber and
incubate 1 hr for dsDNA 40 min for ssDNA, RT. Place the slide in
moist chamber supplemented with saturated NaCl solution.
Force/Extension and Polymerase Extension Data Obtained for RCA
Tethered Bead
[0313] RCA product of 50 knt (50,000 nucleotides) approximate size
with a 5' biotin terminal base, was generated from an 80 by circle
template and tethered to a PEG coated slide with low density biotin
streptavidin couplings (Microsurfaces, Inc., WI). A 25 by primer
complementary to the RCA ssDNA was flowed in at 2 pN force for 5
minutes followed by a 15 minute incubation period with no force
applied. After primer annealing, the tethered beads were subjected
to slowly increasing force under flow, ranging from 0 pN to 12 pN
then back to 0 pN. The extension of the DNA was measured by image
capture. T4 exo minus DNA polymerase 100 nM was flowed in with 200
.mu.M or dTTP, dCTP, dATP and dGTP at 1 pN force. Images were
captured for 30 minutes. Following the DNA polymerase reaction, the
slides were again subjected to force extension with buffer only
ranging from 0 pN to 12 pN then back to 0 pN. Images were captured
as before. FIG. 20A shows the extension of the bead during
nucleotide incorporation when flow was fixed a 1 pN. FIG. 20B shows
the flow force with time during nucleotide incorporation. FIG. 20C
shows the stretching length and position of the bead before and
after polymerase extension with increasing force. The initial force
extension curves show the expected continuous extension up to 12 pN
characteristic of ssDNA. The post polymerase force extension curves
show the rapid increased length at low force followed by a decrease
in further extension characteristic of dsDNA.
[0314] A second experiment was performed on a slide prepared with
the same RCA product and coating. Images were captured continuously
for the experiment at a fixed flow rate of 1 pN. In the first 15
minutes, 1 pM of primer was flowed in and the extension due to
annealing was captured. Following primer annealing, three of the
four non-incorporating nucleotides were flowed in at 200 .mu.M for
30 minutes followed by T4 exo minus DNA polymerase at 100 nM and
all four nucleotides. Extension was captured for more than 60
minutes. FIG. 22 shows seven beads that were observed in this
experiment. Four of the beads were non-specifically bound to the
slide and did not alter position, three beads showed increases in
length corresponding to the period when primer was initially flowed
in and when each of the four nucleotides was incorporated. In the
absence of the required nucleotide, no extension was observed.
Example 2
Error Analysis
[0315] The following is a mathematical model relating to the
measurements and errors associated with the methods described
herein.
[0316] Length of single-strand DNA. The persistence length of
ssDNA, A, is 0.7 nm (Wuite et al. Nature 404, 103-6 (2000)). The
approximated worm-like-chain model for ssDNA (Bustamante et al.
Science 265 1599) (1994)) estimates the end-to-end distance, x, as
equation (1) as follows:
FA / kT = 1 4 ( 1 - x / L ) - 2 - 1 4 + x / L ##EQU00001##
where k is Boltzmann's constant, T is temperature, and L is the
contour length, and A is the persistence length, and F is the force
created by the hydrodynamic drag.
[0317] Length of double-strand DNA. The persistence length of
dsDNA, P, is 53 nm (Bustamante et al. Science 265 1599 (1994);
Wuite et al. Nature 404, 103-6 (2000)). The approximated worm-like
chain model for dsDNA (Davenport et al. Science 287, 2497-500
(2000)) is given by Eq. (1), but with different values of L and
A.
[0318] Precision of length measurement. In flow, the precision of
bead location is commonly assumed to be 10 nm (Davenport et al.
Science 287, 2497-500 (2000)). In optical bead experiments, the
precision is thought to be 1-7 nm (Davenport et al. Science 287,
2497-500 (2000)).
[0319] Flow rate. The force of extension depends linearly on the
flow rate, according to the Stokes-Einstein relation.
[0320] Bead size. The force of extension depends linearly on the
bead size, according to the Stokes-Einstein relation.
[0321] Brownian motion. The potential felt by the bead is the
potential from the stretching of the DNA and the flow force from
the fluid (F). The first derivative is the force. The second
derivative of the potential, the first derivative of the force,
tells us the typical fluctuations:
<(dx) 2>=kT/dF/dx (2)
[0322] Note that this fluctuation goes to zero as the dsDNA goes to
its crystallographic length of 0.34 nm/base. Of course, it takes a
very large force to completely straighten out ssDNA (see FIG. 1 of
Wuite et al. (Nature 404, 103-6 (2000)). However, where ssDNA is
longer than dsDNA, dF/dx is easily 10.times. larger than what it is
in the low force situation. Thus, the resolution limit may be
improved by an order of magnitude compared to the published 10 nm
(Lee et al. Nature 439, 621-4 (2006)), by increasing forces to
where both ssDNA and dsDNA are almost fully stretched (10-20 pN).
It should be noted that equation (2) describes the variance of the
instantaneous Brownian motion. The precision of position
determination of a bead undergoing Brownian motion is further
improved by a factor that scales with the square root of the
measurement time. Extrapolating from the published 10 nm at 2 Hz
and 2-3 pN (Lee et al. Nature 439, 621-4 (2006)), 5 nm should be
within reach at 0.5 Hz and 2-3 pN, or below 1 nm at 0.5 Hz and
15-20 pN. Under these parameters, mechanical drifts of the
microfluidics platform with respect to the imaging system are
likely to be dominant. These drifts cannot be averaged out, but can
be corrected for by placing and tracking surface-fixed beads or
other fiducial markers. These drift trajectories can be directly
subtracted from the length trajectories of tethered, measured
beads.
[0323] High versus low force. The length change at high and low
force can be of the same order of magnitude. However, the
resolution can be 10.times. better at high force. Thus, it would
appear that experiments at high force may be preferable. At or near
the low force limit, for an optimally designed experiment, the
difference between ssDNA and dsDNA is approximately (see FIG. 1B
from Yanagida et al. (Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 47 Pt 1,
177-87 (1983))
dL=0.26*N (3)
where N=number of bases that differ between ssDNA and dsDNA.
[0324] At or near the high force limit, the difference between
ssDNA and dsDNA is approximately (see FIG. 1B from Yanagida et al.
(Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 47 Pt 1, 177-87 (1983))
dL=0.16*N (4)
where N=number of bases that differ between ssDNA and dsDNA.
[0325] This indicates that the signal will be 40% smaller at high
force, but the precision on the measurement will be 10.times.
better. This argues for measurement at high rather than low forces
limits. The crossover force is about 10 pN for 48 kb DNA (Yanagida
et al. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 47 Pt 1, 177-87 (1983)) and
about 6.5 pN for 10 kb base DNA (Wuite et al. Nature 404, 103-6
(2000)).
[0326] Wuite et al. (Wuite et al. Nature 404, 103-6 (2000)) studied
the force dependence of polymerase activity in the case of the T7
DNA polymerase and reported no inhibition on polymerase activity as
long as stretching forces were maintained below 12 pN. Such a force
is still sufficient to provide a large contrast between
single-stranded and double-stranded DNA (see FIG. 1).
[0327] Base extension estimation--low force. The difference between
these two lengths is compared at the resolution, .epsilon.=10 nm.
The probability of an error is p=erfc[dL/(2.epsilon.)].
TABLE-US-00003 Number of bases different dL (nm) p 108 28 0.05 138
36 0.01 185 48 0.001
[0328] Base extension estimation--high force. The difference
between these two lengths is to compared at the resolution,
.epsilon.=1 nm. The uncertainty on the dsDNA is very small, since
dF/dx is almost infinity, and the uncertainty is coming entirely
from the ssDNA. Thus, the probability of an error is
p=erfc{dL/[sqrt(2).epsilon.]}.
TABLE-US-00004 Number of bases different dL (nm) p 10 1.6 0.05 13 2
0.01 16 2.7 0.001
[0329] The total length of the DNA does not enter these
calculations, except that the crossover between low and high force
depends on the DNA length, somewhat less than linearly.
[0330] This modeling is based on the approximation that dsDNA
inside the ssDNA in the concatamer DNA contributes as it would if
it were linear and separate. This should be a reasonable
approximation.
[0331] At very high forces in fluid flow, the bead may begin to
oscillate (potentially due to a fluid flow instability). The force
at which this instability occurs is known in the literature.
EQUIVALENTS
[0332] While several inventive embodiments have been described and
illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily
envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing
the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the
advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or
modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive
embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the
art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions,
materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be
exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials,
and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or
applications for which the inventive teachings is/are used. Those
skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no
more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific
inventive embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be
understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of
example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and
equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practiced
otherwise to than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive
embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each
individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method
described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such
features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if
such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods
are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive
scope of the present disclosure.
[0333] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be
understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in
documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of
the defined terms.
[0334] The indefinite articles "a" and "an," as used herein in the
specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the
contrary, should be understood to mean "at least one."
[0335] The phrase "and/or," as used herein in the specification and
in the claims, should be understood to mean "either or both" of the
elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively
present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases.
Multiple elements listed with "and/or" should be construed in the
same fashion, i.e., "one or more" of the elements so conjoined.
Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements
specifically identified by the "and/or" clause, whether related or
unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a
non-limiting example, a reference to "A and/or B", when used in
conjunction with open-ended language such as "comprising" can
refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements
other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally
including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to
both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.
[0336] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, "or"
should be understood to have the same meaning as "and/or" as
defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, "or"
or "and/or" shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the
inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a
number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted
items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as "only
one of or "exactly one of," or, when used in the claims,
"consisting of," will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element
of a number or list of elements. In general, the term "or" as used
herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive
alternatives (i.e. "one or the other but not both") when preceded
by terms of exclusivity, such as "either," "one of," "only one of,"
or "exactly one of." "Consisting essentially of," when used in the
claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of
patent law.
[0337] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the
phrase "at least one," in reference to a list of one or more
elements, should be understood to mean at least one element
selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of
elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and
every element specifically listed within the list of elements and
not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements.
This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present
other than the elements specifically identified within the list of
elements to which the phrase "at least one" refers, whether related
or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a
non-limiting example, "at least one of A and B" (or, equivalently,
"at least one of A or B," or, equivalently "at least one of A
and/or B") can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one,
optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and
optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment,
to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A
present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet
another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than
one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B
(and optionally including other elements); etc.
[0338] It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated
to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more
than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method
is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts
of the method are recited.
[0339] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all
transitional phrases such as "comprising," "including," "carrying,"
"having," "containing," "involving," "holding," "composed of," and
the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean
including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases
"consisting of" and "consisting essentially of" shall be closed or
semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the
United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures,
Section 2111.03.
* * * * *