Single nucleotide detection method

1. A method for identifying the nucleotide bases in a polynucleotide analyte, the method comprising steps of:

(1) generating a stream of single nucleotide bases from the polynucleotide analyte by pyrophosphorolysis;

(2) in a plurality of instances producing captured molecules by reacting each single nucleotide base with a complementary capture system labelled with at least one characteristic fluorophore in an undetectable state, said capture system being comprised of two components (a) a first oligonucleotide comprising a double-stranded region and a single-stranded region and (b) a second single-stranded oligonucleotide who nucleotide base sequence is at least partially complementary to that of the single-stranded region of the first oligonucleotide;

(3) in each of said instances releasing fluorophore(s) from the captured molecule in a detectable state; and

(4) in each of said instances thereafter detecting characteristic fluorescence from fluorophore(s) so released and inferring therefrom the identity of nucleotide bases captured in (2).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide analyte is bound to a surface.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step (1) is carried out in the presence of a reaction medium comprising an enzyme, and the enzyme exhibits neither exonuclease nor endonuclease behaviour.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step (1) is carried out under non-equilibrium conditions in the presence of a flowing aqueous medium comprising an enzyme, a pyrophosphate anion and magnesium cations, wherein the single nucleotide bases are continuously removed from a reaction zone where they are generated.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein between steps (1) and (2), any residual pyrophosphate anion is destroyed by means of a pyrophosphatase.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in step (2), the first oligonucleotide is j shaped.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the total length of the first oligonucleotide is from 20 to 100 nucleotide bases.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fluorophores are present in the second oligonucleotide and have been quenched with at least one quencher.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the capture system comprises four different first oligonucleotide types having single-stranded regions of four different sequences, wherein the nucleotide base adjacent the double-stranded region on the single stranded region in each first oligonucleotide type is a different one of the four nucleotide base types characteristic of DNA or RNA.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the capture system comprises four different second oligonucleotide types each having a sequence complimentary to a part of one of the four different single-stranded regions in the four different first oligonucleotides and each being labelled with a different fluorophore.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each second oligonucleotide type is labelled with a different fluorophore fluorescing at a different wavelength.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in step (3), the fluorophores are released from the capture molecule using an exonuclease or the exonuclease activity of a polymerase.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of steps (1) to (4) is carried out in a stream of microdroplets.

14. A method for identifying the nucleotide bases in a polynucleotide analyte, the method comprising steps of:

(1) generating a stream of single nucleotide bases from the polynucleotide analyte by pyrophosphorolysis;

(2) in a plurality of instances producing captured molecules by reacting each single nucleotide base with a complementary capture system labelled with at least one characteristic fluorophore in an undetectable state, said capture system comprising a single oligonucleotide comprising a single-stranded nucleotide region the ends of which are attached to two different double-stranded oligonucleotide regions;

(3) in each of said instances releasing fluorophores from the captured molecule in a detectable state; and

(4) in each of said instances thereafter detecting characteristic fluorescence from fluorophore(s) so released and inferring therefrom the identity of nucleotide bases captured in (2).

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each double-stranded oligonucleotide region is comprised of from 10 to 30 nucleotide pairs.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein up to 10 nucleotide pairs in a double-stranded oligonucleotide region are labelled with a fluorophore.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein up to 10 nucleotide pairs in a double-stranded oligonucleotide region are labelled with a quencher.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein two discrete double-stranded oligonucleotide regions are employed, each comprising ends remote from the single-stranded nucleotide region which are closed looped.

19. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the double-stranded oligonucleotide regions are derivable from a single-stranded oligonucleotide precursor by folding the ends back on themselves to leave a gap comprising the single-stranded nucleotide region.

20. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the capture system comprises at least one restriction enzyme recognition site.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the restriction enzyme recognition site is created by reacting the single nucleotide with the capture system.