Nanopore-based nucleic acid analysis with mixed FRET detection

1. A method of determining a nucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide, the method comprising the steps of: translocating a polynucleotide through a nanopore so that nucleotides of the polynucleotide pass in sequence by a FRET donor positioned adjacent to the nanopore, a plurality of the nucleotides being within a FRET distance of the FRET donor as the nucleotides exit the nanopore and at least a portion of the nucleotides being labeled with a FRET acceptor, the nanopore dimensioned so that acceptor labels on the nucleotides inside the nanopore are constrained to suppress FRET reactions and wherein different kinds of nucleotides are labeled with FRET acceptors that generate distinguishable signals;

exciting the FRET donor adjacent to the nanopore so that FRET occurs between the FRET donor and a plurality of FRET acceptors on the plurality of nucleotides emerging from the nanopore and within the FRET distance to generate a mixed FRET signal;

measuring the mixed FRET signals within the FRET distance as the polynucleotide translocates through the nanopore;

separating the distinguishable signals from the mixed FRET signal of each measurement; and

determining a nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide from the measured distinguishable signals separated from the mixed FRET signals collected from every nucleotide of the polynucleotide.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nanopore is disposed in a solid phase membrane and wherein said FRET donor is attached to the solid phase membrane adjacent to said nanopore.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nanopore is a protein nanopore and wherein said FRET donor is attached to the protein nanopore.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide is a single stranded polynucleotide.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of exciting said FRET donor includes exposing said FRET donor to an illumination beam.

6. A method of determining a nucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide, the method comprising the steps of: translocating a polynucleotide through a nanopore having an exit so that nucleotides of the polynucleotide pass in sequence through a FRET zone upon exiting the nanopore, the FRET zone encompassing a plurality of the nucleotides during such passage and at least a portion of the nucleotides being labeled with FRET acceptors and at least one FRET donor being in the FRET zone, the nanopore dimensioned so that acceptor labels on the nucleotides inside the nanopore are constrained to suppress FRET reactions and wherein different kinds of nucleotides are labeled with FRET acceptors that generate distinguishable signals;

exciting the FRET donor in the FRET zone so that FRET occurs between the FRET donor and a plurality of FRET acceptors on the plurality of nucleotides emerging from the nanopore and in the FRET zone to generate a mixed FRET signal;

measuring the mixed FRET signals within the FRET zone as the polynucleotide moves through the FRET zone; separating the distinguishable signals from the mixed FRET signal of each measurement; and determining a nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide from the measured distinguishable signals separated from the mixed FRET signals collected from every nucleotide of the polynucleotide.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said nanopore is disposed in a solid phase membrane and wherein said FRET donor is attached to the solid phase membrane adjacent to said nanopore.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said nanopore is a protein nanopore and wherein said FRET donor is attached to the protein nanopore.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the polynucleotide is a single stranded polynucleotide.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein said step of exciting said FRET donor includes exposing said FRET donor to an illumination beam.

11. A method of determining a nucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide, the method comprising the steps of: translocating a polynucleotide with acceptor-labeled nucleotides through a nanopore dimensioned so that acceptor labels on the nucleotides inside the nanopore are constrained to suppress FRET reactions, wherein nucleotides of the polynucleotide pass in sequence through a FRET zone of a FRET donor upon exiting the nanopore, wherein the FRET zone encompasses a plurality of the nucleotides during such passage, and wherein different kinds of nucleotides are labeled with acceptors that generate distinguishable signals;

exciting the FRET donor in the FRET zone so that FRET occurs between the plurality of acceptor-labeled nucleotides in the FRET zone and the FRET donor to generate a mixed FRET signal;

measuring the mixed FRET signals within the FRET zone as the polynucleotide moves through the FRET zone;

separating the distinguishable signals from the mixed FRET signal of each measurement; and determining a nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide from the measured distinguishable signals separated from the mixed FRET signals collected from every nucleotide of the polynucleotide.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said nanopore is disposed in a solid phase membrane and wherein FRET donor is attached to the solid phase membrane adjacent to said nanopore.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said nanopore is a protein nanopore and wherein said FRET donor is attached to the protein nanopore.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the polynucleotide is a single stranded polynucleotide.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of said acceptors is a fluorescent organic dye.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein said FRET donor is a quantum dot.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein said step of exciting said FRET donor includes exposing said FRET donor to an illumination beam.