US 11,860,123 B2
Classification of epigenetic biomarkers and/or DNA conformational superstructures via use of atomically thin nanopores
Jean-Pierre Leburton, Urbana, IL (US); Lav Raj Varshney, Champaign, IL (US); Aditya Sarathy, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Nagendra B. Athreya, Urbana, IL (US)
Assigned to THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, Urbana, IL (US)
Filed by THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, Urbana, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/850,575.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/834,842, filed on Apr. 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0333290 A1, Oct. 22, 2020
Int. Cl. G01N 27/447 (2006.01); C12Q 1/6874 (2018.01); G01N 33/487 (2006.01); B82Y 5/00 (2011.01)
CPC G01N 27/44791 (2013.01) [C12Q 1/6874 (2013.01); G01N 33/48721 (2013.01); B82Y 5/00 (2013.01); C12Q 2565/631 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a database comprising a dictionary of reference signals, each of the reference signals corresponding to one of methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD-1) protein, methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), or γcyclodextrin (GCD);
a membrane, wherein the membrane has a first side and a second side, wherein the membrane has a pore disposed therein, wherein the pore extends through the membrane from the first side of the membrane to the second side of the membrane;
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
electronic sensing of an electrical characteristic associated with a translocation of a test DNA through the pore, wherein a feature of the test DNA comprises an epigenetic biomarker, and wherein the electronic sensing is performed by an electric current along the membrane that results in a sensed electrical characteristic;
comparing the sensed electrical characteristic with each of the reference signals of the dictionary, wherein the comparing results in a comparison result; and
determining, based upon the comparison result, with which of the reference signals of the dictionary the sensed electrical characteristic corresponds, resulting in a corresponding reference signal, wherein the determining comprises determining that at least a first correlation peak between the corresponding reference signal and the sensed electrical characteristic is above a threshold and that at least a second correlation peak between the corresponding reference signal and the sensed electrical characteristic is above the threshold.