Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of delivering an analyte to a transmembrane pore in a membrane. The method involves the use of microparticles.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of concentrating a tethering complex in a region of an amphiphilic layer, such as a lipid membrane. Also provided herein are methods of assembling a tethering complex; methods of concentrating an analyte in the region of a detector; amphiphilic layers; and arrays and devices for use in the disclosed methods.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of sequencing a target double stranded nucleic acid. The method comprises contacting the double stranded nucleic acid with a reagent as described herein to form a construct and sequencing the construct using a single-molecule sequencing technique as described herein. Associated products and kits are further provided.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for measuring the amount of at least one molecule in a biological sample, the method comprising a) combining the sample, or a derivative thereof, with one or more aptamers and allowing one or more molecules in the sample to bind to the aptamer(s); b) separating bound from unbound molecules; and c) quantifying the molecule(s) bound to the or each aptamer, wherein quantification of the bound molecule(s) is carried out by sequencing at least part of the or each aptamer. Uses of and products derived from the method are also contemplated.

Abstract: A biochemical analysis system analyses polymers by taking measurements of a polymer from a sensor element comprising a nanopore during translocation of the polymer through the nanopore. When a polymer has partially translocated, the series of measurements is analysed using reference data derived from a reference sequence to provide a measure of similarity. Responsive to the measure of similarity, the sensor element may be selectively operated to eject the polymer and thereby make the nanopore available to receive a further polymer. Where the biochemical analysis system comprises an array of sensor elements and is takes measurements from sensor elements selected in a multiplexed manner, responsive to the measure of similarity, the biochemical analysis system ceases taking measurements from the currently selected sensor element and to starts taking measurements from a newly selected sensor element.

Abstract: The invention resides in a method of determining a sequence of a target polymer, or part thereof, comprising polymer units comprising canonical and non-canonical polymer units. The method comprises taking a series of measurements of a signal relating to the target polymer wherein a measurement of the signal is dependent upon a plurality of polymer units, and wherein the polymer units of the target polymer modulate the signal, and wherein a non-canonical polymer unit modulates the signal differently from a corresponding canonical polymer unit. The series of measurements are analysed using a machine learning technique that attributes a measurement of a non-canonical polymer unit to being a measurement of a respective corresponding canonical polymer unit. The sequence of the target polymer, or part thereof, is determined from the analysed series of measurements. A non-canonical polymer unit identified from the analysis can be additionally or alternatively determined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of sequencing a double stranded target polynucleotide. The two strands of the double stranded target polynucleotide are linked by a bridging moiety. The two strands of the target polynucleotide are separated using a polynucleotide binding protein and the target polynucleotide is sequenced using a transmembrane pore.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of characterising a target ribonucleic acid (RNA) involving forming a complementary polynucleotide. The method uses a transmembrane pore.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of detecting a target polynucleotide in a sample comprising: (a) contacting the sample with a guide polynucleotide that binds to a sequence in the target polynucleotide and a polynucleotide-guided effector protein, wherein the guide polynucleotide and polynucleotide-guided effector protein form a complex with any target polynucleotide present in the sample; (b) contacting the sample with a membrane comprising a transmembrane pore; (c) applying a potential to the membrane; and (d) monitoring for the presence or absence of an effect resulting from the interaction of the complex with the transmembrane pore to determine the presence or absence of the complex, thereby detecting the target polynucleotide in the sample.

Abstract: The claimed invention relates to a method of processing a polynucleotide, by obtaining a sense polynucleotide strand comprising a homopolymeric region that is longer that the reading section of a nanopore; synthesizing an antisense polynucleotide strand under conditions in which a nucleotide analog is incorporated at random in a reverse complement of the homopolymer region, such that the length of the homopolymer region in the antisense polynucleotide strand is shorter than the reading section of the nanopore; and moving the antisense polynucleotide strand through the nanopore such that a proportion of the antisense polynucleotide strand interacts with the nanopore.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of encoding data on a polymer. Also provided are methods of reading data encoded on a polymer. Also provided are systems for encoding data on a polymer; systems for reading data encoded on a polymer; and data encoding/data reading platforms.

Abstract: An array of membranes comprising amphipathic molecules is formed using an apparatus comprising a support defining an array of compartments. Volumes comprising polar medium are provided within respective compartments and a layer comprising apolar medium is provided extending across the openings with the volumes. Polar medium is flowed across the support to displace apolar medium and form a layer in contact with the volumes, forming membranes comprising amphipathic molecules at the interfaces. In one construction of the apparatus, the support that comprises partitions which comprise inner portions and outer portions. The inner portions define inner recesses without gaps therebetween that are capable of constraining the volumes comprising polar medium contained in neighbouring inner recesses from contacting each other. The outer portions extend outwardly from the inner portions and have gaps allowing the flow of an apolar medium across the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for measuring the amount of at least one molecule in a biological sample, the method comprising a) combining the sample, or a derivative thereof, with one or more aptamers and allowing one or more molecules in the sample to bind to the aptamer(s); b) separating bound from unbound molecules; and c) quantifying the molecule(s) bound to the or each aptamer, wherein quantification of the bound molecule(s) is carried out by sequencing at least part of the or each aptamer. Uses of and products derived from the method are also contemplated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of sequencing a double stranded target polynucleotide. The two strands of the double stranded target polynucleotide are linked by a bridging moiety. The two strands of the target polynucleotide are separated using a polynucleotide binding protein and the target polynucleotide is sequenced using a transmembrane pore.

Abstract: An analysis instrument comprises plural modules connected together over a data network, each module comprising an analysis apparatus operable to perform biochemical analysis of a sample. Each module comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the analysis apparatus. The control units are addressable to select an arbitrary number of modules to operate as a cluster for performing a common biochemical analysis. The control units communicate over the data network, repeatedly during the performance of the common biochemical analysis, to determine the operation of the analysis apparatus of each module required to meet the global performance targets, on the basis of measures of performance derived from the output data produced by the modules. The arrangement of the instrument as modules interacting in this manner provides a scalable analysis instrument.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of determining the presence, absence or characteristics of an analyte. The analyte is coupled to a membrane. The invention also relates to nucleic acid sequencing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of characterising a target ribonucleic acid (RNA) involving forming a complementary polynucleotide. The method uses a transmembrane pore.

Abstract: An array of membranes comprising amphipathic molecules is formed using an apparatus comprising a support defining an array of compartments. Volumes comprising polar medium are provided within respective compartments and a layer comprising apolar medium is provided extending across the openings with the volumes. Polar medium is flowed across the support to displace apolar medium and form a layer in contact with the volumes, forming membranes comprising amphipathic molecules at the interfaces. In one construction of the apparatus, the support that comprises partitions which comprise inner portions and outer portions. The inner portions define inner recesses without gaps therebetween that are capable of constraining the volumes comprising polar medium contained in neighbouring inner recesses from contacting each other. The outer portions extend outwardly from the inner portions and have gaps allowing the flow of an apolar medium across the substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of detecting a target polynucleotide in a sample comprising: (a) contacting the sample with a guide polynucleotide that binds to a sequence in the target polynucleotide and a polynucleotide-guided effector protein, wherein the guide polynucleotide and polynucleotide-guided effector protein form a complex with any target polynucleotide present in the sample; (b) contacting the sample with a membrane comprising a transmembrane pore; (c) applying a potential to the membrane; and (d) monitoring for the presence or absence of an effect resulting from the interaction of the complex with the transmembrane pore to determine the presence or absence of the complex, thereby detecting the target polynucleotide in the sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of determining the presence, absence or characteristics of an analyte. The analyte is coupled to a membrane. The invention also relates to nucleic acid sequencing.