Introduction
Genome mapping has revolutionized our understanding of biology, offering a powerful lens for unraveling the structure and organization of DNA. While sequencing focuses on decoding the nucleotide sequence of DNA, genome mapping can reveal larger changes to DNA.
Structural variants (SVs) are variants larger than 50 base pairs in size and are estimated to have a larger impact on human health and disease than single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Sequencing, particularly short-read sequencing (SRS), struggles to detect SVs. However, these larger genomic variations are where genome mapping excels and offers clarity and context that sequencing alone can’t provide.
Enter Nabsys and its groundbreaking OhmX Platform—an innovative approach to genome mapping that redefines the possibilities. The OhmX Platform encompasses Nabsys’ flagship product, the OhmX AnalyzerTM and associated instrument control and analysis software. The platform uses a unique electronic nanochannel detection system, providing high precision and facilitating powerful insights into variation in the human genome.
In this post, we’ll explore the science behind Nabsys’ nanochannel technology, compare it to nanopore sequencing, and highlight the advantages that make it a game-changer in genomics.
How Nabsys Nanochannel Technology Works
The Nabsys OhmX Platform is revolutionizing genomics with its cutting-edge electronic genome mapping (EGM) technology. The platform relies on an electric field gradient to guide DNA molecules from microchannels, called access channels, into nanochannels where detectors are located. These detectors measure changes in the current across the nanochannel as DNA passes through. The changes in current created by DNA molecules are amplified by the presence of tags introduced at specific sites on the DNA, allowing for accurate mapping to the human genome.
In addition to its accuracy, the platform is designed for efficiency. The electric field gradient eliminates the need for high DNA concentrations, enabling the system to operate effectively with lower sample volumes. This reduces the complexity of sample preparation and accelerates the overall mapping process, delivering fast and reliable insights.
In summary, the Nabsys OhmX Platform combines advanced engineering with innovative electronic detection, paving the way for high-precision genome mapping and empowering researchers to tackle the most complex genomic challenges.
How Nanopore Technology Works
Nanopore sequencing is one of the leading technologies in genomics, praised for its ability to sequence DNA in real time. This method involves passing DNA molecules through tiny holes, or nanopores, embedded in a membrane. As the DNA moves through the nanopore, it disrupts the electrical current passing through and the change in current corresponds to the sequence of the DNA.
One of the main advantages of nanopore technology is its ability to provide real-time sequencing, which allows for immediate analysis. This makes it particularly valuable for rapid applications like pathogen detection and clinical diagnostics. The portability of nanopore devices, ranging from benchtop to handheld models, also contributes to its popularity in laboratory and field settings.
Despite its advantages, nanopore sequencing struggles when it comes to detecting large-scale genomic variations like SVs. The technology generally requires high DNA concentrations which can cause the DNA molecules in the sample to become entangled. This entanglement negatively affects the sequencing yield, particularly with ultra-long DNA, leading to errors and incomplete data. These limitations highlight the need for additional technologies, like EGM, which offer a more precise and reliable solution for mapping complex genomic regions.
Advantages of Nanochannel Detection
The Nabsys OhmX Platform leverages the power of electronic genome mapping through nanochannels, offering several key advantages over other methods like nanopore sequencing. These advantages make it particularly effective for mapping large genomic variations, including SVs, and pave the way for new insights in genomics.
Electric Field Gradient
Nanopore sequencing uses an electric field to drive DNA molecules to nanopores embedded in a membrane. However, the electric field is confined to the nanopore itself, with essentially no field outside the pore. This limitation means that DNA movement is largely driven by diffusion, which requires high DNA concentrations to maintain a steady flow through the nanopore.
In contrast, the Nabsys OhmX Platform applies a continuous electric field gradient across the entire micro and nanochannel system. This gradient guides DNA molecules from the microchannels into the nanochannels where the detectors are located. The electric field gradient in nanochannels enables DNA capture and helps achieve higher sensitivity and precision, even at lower concentrations of DNA.
Lower Concentration and Longer DNA Molecules
Nanopore sequencing typically requires high DNA concentrations to ensure that enough molecules are present for detection, due to its reliance on diffusion. This concentration requirement increases the risk of DNA entanglement in the sample, which occurs when long strands of DNA intertwine with one another. These entangled DNA molecules can form a gel that separates them from the bulk solution and smaller strands of DNA, making it difficult to detect ultra-long molecules of DNA.
In comparison, the Nabsys OhmX Platform excels at detecting DNA at much lower concentrations. Thanks to the continuous electric field gradient, nanochannels can efficiently guide and detect DNA even at these lower concentrations, reducing the need for high DNA input. This advantage prevents DNA from becoming entangled, ensuring that the ultra-long molecules of DNA that are critical for mapping SVs remain in solution and can be detected, providing more reliable and precise mapping.
Conclusion
Nabsys’ OhmX Platform is redefining the possibilities of genome mapping with its innovative electronic genome mapping (EGM) technology. By leveraging an electric field gradient and nanochannel detection, it overcomes many of the challenges faced by nanopore sequencing methods, particularly when it comes to detecting SVs.
With the ability to detect DNA at lower concentrations, avoid entanglement, and handle ultra-long DNA, the Nabsys platform offers a level of precision and reliability that is crucial for understanding complex genomic regions. This approach not only enhances the accuracy of genome mapping but also opens the door for deeper insights into human health and disease.
With its precision, efficiency, and ability to tackle the most complex genomic questions, the Nabsys OhmX Platform is positioned to lead the next frontier of genomics, offering unprecedented insights into human health and disease.
