Agilent Technologies

About: Agilent Technologies is a company organization based out in Santa Clara, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Signal & Mass spectrometry. The organization has 7398 authors who have published 11518 publications receiving 262410 citations. The organization is also known as: Agilent Technologies, Inc..

Method and apparatus for sequencing polymers through tunneling conductance variation detection

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying molecules of polymers such as, for example, a nucleic acid, are described. The method involves centering a bias voltage across a pair of nanoelectrodes separated by a channel that corresponds to one of any of the energy differences between any two internal energy levels of a molecule of interest, and modulating the bias voltage with a modulation waveform while the molecule of interest is in the channel. An electrical signal characteristic of the molecule of interest is derived from the tunneling current between the nanoelectrodes, and the characteristic electrical signal is compared with known values of the signal for chemically-known molecules in order to identify the molecule of interest. Multiple pairs of nano-electrodes may be employed to identify more reliably a single molecule or multiple molecules.

A method to identify trace sulfated IgG N-glycans as biomarkers for rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract: N-linked glycans on immunoglobulin G (IgG) have been associated with pathogenesis of diseases and the therapeutic functions of antibody-based drugs; however, low-abundance species are difficult to detect. Here we show a glycomic approach to detect these species on human IgGs using a specialized microfluidic chip. We discover 20 sulfated and 4 acetylated N-glycans on IgGs. Using multiple reaction monitoring method, we precisely quantify these previously undetected low-abundance, trace and even ultra-trace N-glycans. From 277 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 141 healthy individuals, we also identify N-glycan biomarkers for the classification of both rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive and negative RA patients, as well as anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA)-positive and negative RA patients. This approach may identify N-glycosylation-associated biomarkers for other autoimmune and infectious diseases and lead to the exploration of promising glycoforms for antibody therapeutics. Post-translational modifications can affect antibody function in health and disease, but identification of all variants is difficult using existing technologies. Here the authors develop a microfluidic method to identify and quantify low-abundance IgG N-glycans and show some of these IgGs can be used as biomarkers for rheumatoid arthritis.

Universal DNA tag systems: a combinatorial design scheme.

Abstract: Custom-designed DNA arrays offer the possibility of simultaneously monitoring thousands of hybridization reactions. These arrays show great potential for many medical and scientific applications, such as polymorphism analysis and genotyping. Relatively high costs are associated with the need to specifically design and synthesize problem-specific arrays. Recently, an alternative approach was suggested that utilizes fixed, universal arrays. This approach presents an interesting design problem-the arrays should contain as many probes as possible, while minimizing experimental errors caused by cross-hybridization. We use a simple thermodynamic model to cast this design problem in a formal mathematical framework. Employing new combinatorial ideas, we derive an efficient construction for the design problem and prove that our construction is near-optimal.

Apparatus and method for biopolymer identification during translocation through a nanopore

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for identifying and sequencing a biopolymer translocating a nanopore. The apparatus of the present invention provides a first electrode, a second electrode and a potential means for applying a bias ramping potential across the electrodes to produce resonant tunneling of current carriers between the two electrodes. As the bias potential is ramped across the electrodes the increase in tunneling current occurs as the carrier energy sequentially matches the conduction band energies of the translocating biopolymer. This technique allows for real-time identification and sequencing of a biopolymer as the band energy spectra of the individual portions of the bipolymer are recorded, differentiated and identified. A method for identifying the biopolymer is also disclosed.