Methods and apparatus to sequence a nucleic acid

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatus and machine readable media are disclosed to sequence nucleic acid. An example method includes subjecting a sequence of target nucleotide bases captured on a microtransponder to a plurality of sequencing reactions to build a sequence of labeled nucleotide bases that are complementary to and bound to the sequence of target nucleotide bases. The example method also includes identifying each labeled nucleotide base of the sequence of labeled nucleotide bases and each respective complementary target nucleotide base of the sequence of target nucleotide bases to which the labeled nucleotide base is bound after each sequencing reaction. In addition, each labeled nucleotide base of the sequence of labeled nucleotide bases and each respective complementary target nucleotide base of the sequence of target nucleotide bases to which the labeled nucleotide base is bound is associated with a microtransponder identification number.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a microtransponder having a surface to which a nucleic acid target is to be captured via a capture probe;   a reaction station to subject the surface-bound nucleic acid target to a plurality of sequencing reactions to add a sequence of nucleotide bases that are complementary to and bound to the sequence of target nucleotide bases;   a wash station to remove an extraneous sequencing reagent resulting from the plurality of sequencing reactions; and   an identification station to identify each added nucleotide base after each sequencing reaction.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an amplification station to clonally amplify the nucleic acid target on the surface to form surface-bound clonal targets. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the amplification station is to subject the surface-bound nucleic acid target to a second through an nth number of subsequent sequencing reactions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the second through the nth number of subsequent sequencing reactions add a second through an nth nucleotide base that are complementary to a second through an nth nucleotide base in the sequence of the nucleic acid target, wherein n is equal to or less than the number of nucleotide bases in the sequence of the nucleic acid target. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the wash station is to remove the extraneous sequencing reagent resulting from the second through the nth sequencing reactions after the addition of each of the second through the nth nucleotide bases. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the identification station is to determine an identity of each of the second through the nth nucleotide bases in the sequence of the nucleic acid target. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the identification station associates each added nucleotide base of the sequence with an identification number of the microtransponder.