Sequencing by avidity enables high accuracy with low reagent consumption.

We present avidity sequencing, a sequencing chemistry that separately optimizes the processes of stepping along a DNA template and that of identifying each nucleotide within the template. Nucleotide identification uses multivalent nucleotide ligands on dye-labeled cores to form polymerase-polymer-nucleotide complexes bound to clonal copies of DNA targets. These polymer-nucleotide substrates, termed avidites, decrease the required concentration of reporting nucleotides from micromolar to nanomolar and yield negligible dissociation rates.

Investigation Into the Effects of Nucleotide Content on the Electrical Characteristics of DNA Plasmid Molecular Wires.

In this study, we investigate the effect of nucleotide content on the conductivity of plasmid length DNA molecular wires covalently bound to high aspect-ratio gold electrodes. The DNA wires were all between [Formula: see text] in length (>6000bp), and contained either 39%, 53%, or 64% GC base-pairs. We compared the current-voltage (I-V) and frequency-impedance characteristics of the DNA wires with varying GC content, and observed statistically significantly higher conductivity in DNA wires containing higher GC content in both AC and DC measurement methods.

Genomewide clonal analysis of lethal mutations in the Drosophila melanogaster eye: comparison of the X chromosome and autosomes.

Using a large consortium of undergraduate students in an organized program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), we have undertaken a functional genomic screen in the Drosophila eye. In addition to the educational value of discovery-based learning, this article presents the first comprehensive genomewide analysis of essential genes involved in eye development. The data reveal the surprising result that the X chromosome has almost twice the frequency of essential genes involved in eye development as that found on the autosomes.

Discovery-based science education: functional genomic dissection in Drosophila by undergraduate researchers.

How can you combine professional-quality research with discovery-based undergraduate education? The UCLA Undergraduate Consortium for Functional Genomics provides the answer