New Ultra-Rapid DNA Sequencing Technology

New technology for direct molecular sensing could be used to sequence the entire genome of an individual in less than 24 hours vs two or more years with current technology, according to researchers at the University of Houston (TX, USA) who developed the technology.

In current sequencing methods, an enzyme called a DNA polymerase is responsible for moving along a strand of DNA and copying the bases so they can be "read” by a computer. This sequencing, however, is very time consuming, requires a large amount of DNA molecules, and involves many labor-intensive steps. The researchers therefore genetically engineered polymerase so it would act as a direct molecular sensor, sending a computer a signal telling immediately the identity of the base it read. This process eliminates many steps and requires the use of only a single molecule of DNA to "read.”

When fully developed as a commercial device, the technology could offer doctors a faster and more-thorough way to determine who is at risk for certain genetic diseases or which people might react adversely to a particular drug. The device could also be used to rapidly identify unknown pathogens used in a bioterrorist attack, where quick answers about an organism could save lives. The researchers have filed a patent on the new process and have formed a company in Houston called Visigen Biotechnologies to complete development and commercialize the process.

"We predict the process we're developing could sequence the human genome in less than a day, and ultimately maybe even less than an hour,” said Susan Hardin, of the
department of biology and biochemistry at the University of Houston.