US 12,247,990 B2
Molecular hopper
Yujia Qing, Oxford (GB); and John Hagan Pryce Bayley, Oxford (GB)
Assigned to OXFORD UNIVERSITY INNOVATION LIMITED, Oxford (GB)
Appl. No. 17/260,110
Filed by OXFORD UNIVERSITY INNOVATION LIMITED, Oxford (GB)
PCT Filed Jul. 16, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/051990
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 13, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/016573, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 23, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1811623 (GB), filed on Jul. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0318340 A1, Oct. 14, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 35/00 (2006.01); C12Q 1/6869 (2018.01); G01N 33/487 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/00029 (2013.01) [C12Q 1/6869 (2013.01); G01N 33/48721 (2013.01); G01N 35/00584 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of moving a molecular hopper along a track, wherein:
(a) the track comprises a plurality of primary functional groups aligned along a substrate,
(b) the hopper comprises a secondary functional group capable of binding to each of the plurality of primary functional groups on the track, and
(c) the hopper comprises a cargo moiety,
and wherein the method comprises the steps of:
(i) contacting the hopper with the track such that the secondary functional group of the hopper binds to a first primary functional group on the track, and
(ii) applying a driving force so as to cause the hopper to be directionally transferred from the first primary functional group to a second primary functional group on the track, thereby causing the hopper to move along the track.