News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:$900 DNA sequencing USB stick announced by OxNano by LuisZaman on Friday February 17, 2012 @10:57PM (#3605906)
But how much are the enzymes going to cost?
Re:$900 DNA sequencing USB stick announced by OxNano by gus_massa on Saturday February 18, 2012 @08:03AM (#3606513)
I don't understand the downvotes, because it seems to be an interesting question, and the article is not very clear.

Is $900 the price for the gadget alone? Is the price for the gadget + 1 time enzyme kit? Is it the price of each repetition of the analysis (enzyme + disposables), but there is an additional initial cost (gadget)? This thing is reusable, or you must buy a new whole kit each time?

Re:$900 DNA sequencing USB stick announced by OxNano by Natsu on Saturday February 18, 2012 @11:01AM (#3606821)
Ars had its own article on this saying that you do not need enzymes. It's forcing the molecule through a tiny pore and reading the change in an electrical signal. That said, one problem mentioned is that the error rate is quite high.

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2012/02/nanopore-tech-br...

Re:$900 DNA sequencing USB stick announced by OxNano by gus_massa on Saturday February 18, 2012 @12:21PM (#3607042)
This article says:

"Both GridION and MinION operate using the same technology: DNA is added to a solution containing enzymes that bind to the end of each strand. When a current is applied across the solution these enzymes and DNA are drawn to hundreds of wells in a membrane at the bottom of the solution, each just 10 micrometres in diameter."

Perhaps this method use fewer enzymes than the old one.