Oxford Nanopore Technologies Sequencing Technology Explained

Oxford Nanopore Technologies uses a technique called direct electrical measurement to sequence DNA, which involves passing DNA strands through a tiny pore in a membrane.

This method allows for real-time sequencing, enabling researchers to see the sequence of the DNA as it's being read.

The technology uses a device called a flow cell, which contains millions of tiny pores that the DNA strands pass through, and a sensor that detects the changes in electrical resistance as the DNA is read.

These changes in electrical resistance are used to determine the sequence of the DNA.

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Oxford Nanopore Technologies was founded in 2005 as a spin-out from the University of Oxford by Hagan Bayley, Gordon Sanghera, and Spike Willcocks.

The company received seed funding from the IP Group to get started.

It made an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange on 30 September 2021, under the ticker ONT.

In March 2016, the company announced a significant upgrade to its nanopore sequencing product 'R9', using a protein nanopore in collaboration with the laboratory of Han Remaut.

The R9 upgrade was designed to improve error rates and yield, making it a notable milestone for the company.

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Oxford Nanopore Technologies has developed a range of products and technologies that enable real-time analysis of DNA, RNA, proteins, and small molecules.

Their flagship product is the MinION, a portable sequencing device that can generate up to 30Gb of DNA sequence data per flow cell.

The company's technology supports both scientific research and industrial applications, with a range of products including the GridION X5 and PromethION.

The GridION X5 is a compact benchtop system that can run and analyze up to five MinION flow units, while the PromethION offers the same real-time, long-read, direct DNA and RNA sequencing technology as MinION and GridION, but at a much larger scale.

Here are the key features of Oxford Nanopore's major systems:

Oxford Nanopore Sequencing Technology (ONT) is a game-changer in the world of DNA sequencing.

ONT uses nanopore technology to perform high-throughput long-read sequencing of both DNA and RNA samples. This means it can sequence long DNA molecules without amplification, providing a more comprehensive display of sequence information.

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The technology works by using a nanopore sequencer with a novel 'nanopore technology that uses nanopores embedded in an electro-resistant membrane. A voltage is set on the membrane to form an ionic current across the pores.

The main products of Oxford Nanopore are:

These products enable the analysis of DNA, RNA, proteins, and small molecules with a range of applications in personalized medicine, crop science, and scientific research.

The advantages of ONT include long reads with no amplification, direct detection of target nucleic acids without PCR amplification, real-time access to sequence information, and simple library preparation.

The Oxford Nanopore Technologies hardware is designed to provide high-quality sequencing results, and it's impressive to see the range of options available. The MinION is a portable sequencing device that supports one flow cell with 512 channels.

Each of the three sequencing systems has its own unique features. The GridION X5 is a benchtop sequencer that supports up to five MinION flow cells. The PromethION, on the other hand, is a benchtop sequencer that can simultaneously run up to 48 PromethION flow cells with 3000 channels each.

Let's take a closer look at the specifications of each device:

The PromethION offers the highest data output per run, with up to 48x50Gb of data generated simultaneously.

Oxford Nanopore Technologies has secured a significant amount of funding, with a total of US$ 63.6M. This investment has likely played a crucial role in the company's development and growth.

LinkedIn has invested in Oxford Nanopore Technologies, indicating a strong level of confidence in the company's mission and technology.

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The funding for this project is a significant aspect to consider. US$ 63.6M has been invested.

LinkedIn has been involved in the investment, and it's clear they believe in the project's potential.

The app is indeed better, according to LinkedIn, and that's likely a major factor in their decision to invest.

CD Genomics offers three major ONT systems: MinION, GridION, and PromethION. Each of these systems is designed for different applications and data output needs.

The MinION is a pocket-sized, portable device for biological analysis. It generates 10-30Gb of DNA sequence data per consumable flow cell. MinION is ideal for de novo sequencing, targeted sequencing, metagenomics, and epigenetics.

GridION is a compact benchtop system that can run and analyze up to five MinION flow units at a time. It's designed for high data output per run, with up to 5x20Gb of data generated.

PromethION is the largest of the three systems, offering super high data output per run of up to 48x50Gb. It's designed for population-scale sequencing and plant genomics.

Here's a quick comparison of the three systems:

Tiny protein pores are embedded in a synthetic membrane, one in each well, which is the core of Oxford Nanopore Technologies' sequencing method.

A potential is applied across the membrane, causing a small current to run through the pore. This current is essential for the sequencing process.

As charged DNA molecules traverse the pore, they reduce the current, and these reductions depend on the shape of the DNA or RNA in the pore. This is a crucial step in determining the base identity.

The changes in the current are translated into a base sequence using the most up-to-date neural networks. This advanced technology allows for accurate sequencing.

There's no limit to the length of DNA that can be sequenced because the single molecules are sequenced by passing them through a tiny pore with no interaction with the pore. This greatly simplifies downstream analysis.

In fact, ~megabase-sized reads have already been obtained, which is a significant achievement in DNA sequencing.

The benefits of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) are numerous and impressive. Long reads with no amplification provide a comprehensive display of sequence information, making it easier to identify duplicated gene fragments and structural variants.

ONT's direct detection of target nucleic acids without PCR amplification enables direct sequencing of epigenetic modifications and RNA. This is a game-changer for researchers who want to study these complex molecules.

One of the most significant advantages of ONT is its real-time access to sequence information. Direct detection of the native strand of interest saves a lot of time, and sequencing signals are collected directly when the target nucleic acid passes through the nanopore.

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ONT's library preparation process is extremely fast and requires no PCR amplification, fluorescent molecular markers, or optical imaging. This makes it a much simpler and more efficient process than traditional methods.

Here are some of the key benefits of ONT in a nutshell:

ONT's applications are diverse and far-reaching. It has been used for genomic analysis, identification of pathogens, metagenomic environmental monitoring, food safety monitoring, and more. Its data has also been proven to improve de novo genome assemblies, structural genomic variant detection, and other areas of life sciences.

Oxford Nanopore Technologies is a spin-out from the University of Oxford that has developed a new generation of DNA/RNA sequencing technology.

Their technology offers real-time analysis, in fully scalable formats from pocket to population scale, which can analyze native DNA or RNA and sequence any length of fragment to achieve short to ultra-long read lengths.

The company has developed a range of products, including the pocket-sized MinION, a portable sequencing device that can reportedly deliver high volumes of long read sequence data.

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The benchtop GridION can run up to five MinION Flow Cells at a time, on-demand, for larger genomics projects.

Their PromethION is the largest format for nanopore sequencing, designed to offer on-demand use of up to 48 Flow Cells - allowing delivery of over 10 Tb of sequence data in a full run.

The palm-sized PromethION 2 makes high-output nanopore sequencing broadly accessible.

The company is working on increasing ease of use and automation, with a ten minute library preparation kit and the automated, programmable VolTRAX.

Oxford Nanopore Technologies has over 1,000 employees from multiple disciplines, including nanopore science, molecular biology and applications, informatics, engineering, electronics, manufacturing and commercialisation.

The company has partnered with Mayo Clinic to develop new clinical tests for diseases and improve patient care.

Oxford Nanopore Technologies has also partnered with Saphetor to allow tertiary analysis of the nanopore sequencing data for the purpose of variant interpretation and prioritization.

In October 2023, the company raised GBP 70 million in a private placement from biotechnology company bioMérieux S.A.