Methods for biological sample processing and analysis

1. A method for processing a biological analyte, comprising:

(a) providing a substrate comprising an array having immobilized thereto said biological analyte, wherein said substrate is rotatable with respect to a central axis;

(b) dispensing a solution comprising a plurality of probes at a first location of said substrate, and directing said solution outwardly across said substrate from said first location to and in contact with said biological analyte at a second location of said substrate during rotation of said substrate, wherein said first location is radially closer to said central axis than said second location, wherein said solution is directed centrifugally along a direction away from said central axis;

(c) subjecting said biological analyte to conditions sufficient to conduct a reaction between at least one probe of said plurality of probes and said biological analyte, to couple said at least one probe to said biological analyte; and

(d) detecting one or more signals from said at least one probe coupled to said biological analyte, thereby analyzing said biological analyte.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said biological analyte is a nucleic acid molecule, and wherein analyzing said biological analyte comprises identifying a sequence of said nucleic acid molecule.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said plurality of probes is a plurality of nucleotides.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein (c) comprises subjecting said nucleic acid molecule to a primer extension reaction under conditions sufficient to incorporate at least one nucleotide from said plurality of nucleotides into a growing strand that is complementary to said nucleic acid molecule.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein in (d), said one or more signals are indicative of incorporation of said at least one nucleotide.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein said plurality of nucleotides comprise nucleotide analogs.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein said plurality of nucleotides is of a first canonical base type.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising repeating (b) and (c) with an additional plurality of nucleotides that are of a second canonical base type, wherein said second canonical base type is different than said first canonical base type.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein said plurality of probes is a plurality of oligonucleotide molecules.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said biological analyte is a nucleic acid molecule, and (c) comprises conducting a complementarity binding reaction between said at least one probe and said nucleic acid molecule to identify a presence of homology between said at least one probe and said biological analyte in (d).

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting in (d) is conducted using a sensor that continuously scans said array along a nonlinear path during rotation of said substrate.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to (b), (i) dispensing said solution on said substrate when said substrate is stationary, and (ii) subjecting said substrate to rotation to direct said solution across said array.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising (i) subjecting said substrate to rotation prior to (b), and (ii) while said substrate is rotating, dispensing said solution on said substrate.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating (b)-(d) with an additional plurality of probes that is different than said plurality of probes.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein a fluid viscosity of said solution or a rotational velocity of said substrate is selected to yield a predetermined thickness of a layer of said solution adjacent to said array.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said biological analyte is coupled to a bead, which bead is immobilized to said array.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said solution is directed to said array using one or more dispensing nozzles that are directed at or in proximity to said central axis of said substrate.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein said array comprises a plurality of individually addressable locations, and wherein said biological analyte is disposed at a given individually addressable location of said plurality of individually addressable locations.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein said array has immobilized thereto one or more additional biological analytes.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein said substrate is textured or patterned.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein said one or more signals include one or more optical signals.

22. The method of claim 1 , further comprising terminating rotation of said substrate prior to detecting said one or more signals in (d).

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein (b) and/or (c) is performed while said substrate is rotated at a first angular velocity and (d) is performed while said substrate is rotated at a second angular velocity that is different than said first angular velocity.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein said substrate is movable with respect to said central axis, and wherein (b) and/or (c) is performed when said substrate is at a first location of said central axis and (d) is performed when said substrate is at a second location of said central axis, which second location is different from said first location.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein at said first location said substrate rotates at a first angular velocity and at said second location said substrate rotates at a second angular velocity that is different than said first angular velocity.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein said array is a substantially planar array.

27. A method for processing a biological analyte, comprising:

(a) providing a substrate comprising a substantially planar array having immobilized thereto said biological analyte, wherein said substrate is rotatable with respect to a central axis;

(b) dispensing a solution comprising a plurality of probes at a first location of said substantially planar array, and directing said solution outwardly across said substantially planar array from said first location to and in contact with said biological analyte at a second location of said substantially planar array during rotation of said substrate, wherein said first location is radially closer to said central axis than said second location;

(c) subjecting said biological analyte to conditions sufficient to conduct a reaction between at least one probe of said plurality of probes and said biological analyte, to couple said at least one probe to said biological analyte; and

(d) detecting one or more signals from said at least one probe coupled to said biological analyte, thereby analyzing said biological analyte.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein said biological analyte is a nucleic acid molecule, and wherein analyzing said biological analyte comprises identifying a sequence of said nucleic acid molecule.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein said detecting in (d) is conducted using a sensor that continuously scans said substantially planar array along a nonlinear path during rotation of said substrate.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein said substantially planar array comprises a plurality of individually addressable locations, and wherein said biological analyte is disposed at a given individually addressable location of said plurality of individually addressable locations.

31. The method of claim 1 , wherein said biological analyte is immobilized to said array through one or more binders.

32. The method of claim 1 , wherein said array comprises at least 100,000 binders, wherein a binder of said at least 100,000 binders immobilizes said biological analyte to said array.

33. The method of claim 23 , wherein said first angular velocity is greater than said second angular velocity.

34. The method of claim 27 , wherein said biological analyte is immobilized to said substantially planar array through one or more binders.

35. The method of claim 27 , wherein said substantially planar array comprises at least 100,000 binders, wherein a binder of said at least 100,000 binders immobilizes said biological analyte to said substantially planar array.

36. The method of claim 28 , wherein said plurality of probes is a plurality of nucleotides.

37. The method of claim 36 , wherein (c) comprises subjecting said nucleic acid molecule to a primer extension reaction under conditions sufficient to incorporate at least one nucleotide from said plurality of nucleotides into a growing strand that is complementary to said nucleic acid molecule.

38. The method of claim 37 , wherein in (d), said one or more signals are indicative of incorporation of said at least one nucleotide.

39. The method of claim 36 , wherein said plurality of nucleotides comprise nucleotide analogs.

40. The method of claim 36 , wherein said plurality of nucleotides is of a first canonical base type.

41. The method of claim 40 , further comprising repeating (b) and (c) with an additional plurality of nucleotides that are of a second canonical base type, wherein said second canonical base type is different than said first canonical base type.

42. The method of claim 28 , wherein said plurality of probes is a plurality of oligonucleotide molecules.

43. The method of claim 27 , wherein said biological analyte is a nucleic acid molecule, and (c) comprises conducting a complementarity binding reaction between said at least one probe and said nucleic acid molecule to identify a presence of homology between said at least one probe and said biological analyte in (d).

44. The method of claim 27 , further comprising, prior to (b), (i) dispensing said solution on said substrate when said substrate is stationary, and (ii) subjecting said substrate to rotation to direct said solution across said substantially planar array.

45. The method of claim 27 , further comprising (i) subjecting said substrate to rotation prior to (b), and (ii) while said substrate is rotating, dispensing said solution on said substrate.

46. The method of claim 27 , further comprising repeating (b)-(d) with an additional plurality of probes that is different than said plurality of probes.

47. The method of claim 27 , wherein a fluid viscosity of said solution or a rotational velocity of said substrate is selected to yield a predetermined thickness of a layer of said solution adjacent to said substantially planar array.

48. The method of claim 27 , wherein said biological analyte is coupled to a bead, which bead is immobilized to said substantially planar array.

49. The method of claim 27 , wherein said solution is directed to said substantially planar array using one or more dispensing nozzles that are directed at or in proximity to said central axis of said substrate.

50. The method of claim 27 , wherein said substantially planar array has immobilized thereto one or more additional biological analytes.

51. The method of claim 27 , wherein said substrate is textured or patterned.

52. The method of claim 27 , wherein said one or more signals include one or more optical signals.

53. The method of claim 27 , further comprising terminating rotation of said substrate prior to detecting said one or more signals in (d).

54. The method of claim 27 , wherein (b) and/or (c) is performed while said substrate is rotated at a first angular velocity and (d) is performed while said substrate is rotated at a second angular velocity that is different than said first angular velocity.

55. The method of claim 27 , wherein said substrate is movable with respect to said central axis, and wherein (b) and/or (c) is performed when said substrate is at a first location of said central axis and (d) is performed when said substrate is at a second location of said central axis, which second location is different from said first location.

56. The method of claim 55 , wherein at said first location said substrate rotates at a first angular velocity and at said second location said substrate rotates at a second angular velocity that is different than said first angular velocity.