Welcome to the DIYelectronics - Nanopore Sequencing project~!

This is the collaborative work space of the DIYelectronics Nanopore Sequencing community

Project overview

The aim of this Biocurious community project is to build DIYelectronics, particularly a DIY DNA Sequencing Nanopore. The concept is to replicate proven DNA Nanopore Sequencing methods in a DIY fashion (ultimately for under $200), possibly improving upon existing methods. The general concept is to use scotch tape and the alpha-hemolysin (Hla) protein to make a sequencing nanopore, and a pico-sampling chip to read and identify the electrical signature perturbances of the base pair nucleotides as they pass through the nanopore.

 

Project steps

1. DNA Nanopore Sequencing (DNA strand is 23 angstroms wide; nanopore width should be 2-3nm (roughly the same size))
• Obtain alpha-hemolysin (Hla) protein; test with E. coli bacteria
• Obtain strand of DNA
• gBlocks gene fragments from IDT
• Test electrolytes to modulate speed of DNA pass through pore
• Sample prep: PDMS microfluidics
2. Electronic reading of sequencing - (spec for this?)
• Ion channel reading circuits (low-current, low-noise)
• Pico-sampling chip (TI, Analog Devices, ??) - 1 picoamp resolution, dynamic range (10 nano-amps to full-scale channel))
• db conversion
• ADC and Op-amp
• Open source PCB software; Mentor Graphics
3. Software results analysis and Interpretation (deep-learning statistical analysis)
4. Project iteration and cost-reduction

 

Resources/published literature

1. DNA Nanopore Sequencing
• Nanopores focus: Nature Nanotechnology
• Methods:  Alpha-hemolysin (Hla), MspA, Tunneling current, Fluorescence
2. Electronic read-outs: ACD, Op-Amp