Abstract: A method of preparing a nucleic acid library in droplets in contact with oil, including: (a) blunt-ending nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield blunt-ended nucleic acid fragments; (b) phosphorylating the blunt-ended nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield phosphorylated nucleic acid fragments; coupling A-tails to the phosphorylated nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield A-tailed nucleic acid fragments; and (d) coupling nucleic acid adapters to the A-tailed nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield the nucleic acid library comprising adapter-ligated nucleic acid fragments.

Abstract: A method is provided for conducting a droplet-based enzymatic assay, e.g., for diagnostic purposes. On a droplet actuator, a droplet comprising an enzyme of interest is provided along with a droplet comprising a substrate which is potentially modified in the presence of the enzyme. Droplet operations are executed to combine the enzyme and substrate droplets on the droplet actuator, thereby yielding an assay droplet on the droplet actuator. Detecting modification of the substrate by the enzyme in the assay droplet occurs on the droplet actuator. Modified substrate preparations for conducting such enzymatic assays are also provided.

Abstract: A method is provided for conducting a droplet-based enzymatic assay, e.g., for diagnostic purposes. On a droplet actuator, a droplet comprising an enzyme of interest is provided along with a droplet comprising a substrate which is potentially modified in the presence of the enzyme. Droplet operations are executed to combine the enzyme and substrate droplets on the droplet actuator, thereby yielding an assay droplet on the droplet actuator. Detecting modification of the substrate by the enzyme in the assay droplet occurs on the droplet actuator. Modified substrate preparations for conducting such enzymatic assays are also provided.

Abstract: A method of preparing a nucleic acid library in droplets in contact with oil, including: (a) blunt-ending nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield blunt-ended nucleic acid fragments; (b) phosphorylating the blunt-ended nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield phosphorylated nucleic acid fragments; coupling A-tails to the phosphorylated nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield A-tailed nucleic acid fragments; and (d) coupling nucleic acid adapters to the A-tailed nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield the nucleic acid library comprising adapter-ligated nucleic acid fragments.

Abstract: A method of preparing a nucleic acid library in droplets in contact with oil, including: (a) blunt-ending nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield blunt-ended nucleic acid fragments; (b) phosphorylating the blunt-ended nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield phosphorylated nucleic acid fragments; coupling A-tails to the phosphorylated nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield A-tailed nucleic acid fragments; and (d) coupling nucleic acid adapters to the A-tailed nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield the nucleic acid library comprising adapter-ligated nucleic acid fragments.

Abstract: A method of preparing a nucleic acid library in droplets in contact with oil, including: (a) blunt-ending nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield blunt-ended nucleic acid fragments; (b) phosphorylating the blunt-ended nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield phosphorylated nucleic acid fragments; coupling A-tails to the phosphorylated nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield A-tailed nucleic acid fragments; and (d) coupling nucleic acid adapters to the A-tailed nucleic acid fragments in a droplet in the oil to yield the nucleic acid library comprising adapter-ligated nucleic acid fragments.

Abstract: A method of conducting a droplet-based enzymatic assay is provided. The method generally makes use of a droplet actuator. A droplet comprising an enzyme of interest is provided on the droplet actuator along with a droplet comprising a substrate which is potentially modified in the presence of the enzyme. The method involves executing droplet operations on the droplet actuator to combine the droplets, thereby yielding an assay droplet, and detecting modification of the substrate by the enzyme in the assay droplet on the droplet actuator. The enzyme of interest may, for example, be a potentially mutated or improperly folded enzyme exhibiting altered enzyme activity as compared to a corresponding normal enzyme.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microfluidic platform and methods of using the platform for conducting enzyme assays using a droplet actuator. The enzyme assays of the invention are useful for, among other things, identifying and/or characterizing disorders resulting from conditions in which enzymes are defective or are produced in inappropriate amounts. Enzyme assays of the invention may, for example, be used to detect altered activity of a particular enzyme in a sample, which may serve as an indicator of a particular disease. Altered activity may, for example, be caused by conditions which result in the increased or reduced production of a certain enzyme or its substrate and/or conditions which result in defective enzymes and/or substrates exhibiting increased or decreased effectiveness relative to corresponding normal enzymes and/or substrates.

Abstract: The invention provides techniques for coagulating blood on a droplet actuator. The invention also provides methods of manipulating the coagulated blood including a variety of droplet operations that may be conducted using the coagulated blood. Further, the invention provides a variety of assays that make use of the coagulated blood or various blood samples as input.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microfluidic platform and methods of using the platform for conducting enzyme assays using a droplet actuator. The enzyme assays of the invention are useful for, among other things, identifying and/or characterizing disorders resulting from conditions in which enzymes are defective or are produced in inappropriate amounts. Enzyme assays of the invention may, for example, be used to detect altered activity of a particular enzyme in a sample, which may serve as an indicator of a particular disease. Altered activity may, for example, be caused by conditions which result in the increased or reduced production of a certain enzyme or its substrate and/or conditions which result in defective enzymes and/or substrates exhibiting increased or decreased effectiveness relative to corresponding normal enzymes and/or substrates.