DNA sequencing might become less expensive

EVANSTON, Ill., July 2 (UPI) -- U.S. Nobel Laureate James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA, recently became the first person to have his own genome mapped -- and it cost $1 million.

That price makes such a procedure out of the reach of most people. But the National Institutes of Health would like to bring the price down to $1,000 by the year 2014.

One promising method for speeding DNA sequencing times, and thus reducing its cost, is nanopore sequencing, in which DNA moves through a tiny hole, much like thread going through a needle. The technique can detect individual DNA molecules, but the DNA passes through so quickly it's impossible to determine the sequence.

Using a theory based on classical hydrodynamics, a Northwestern University researcher now has explained the nature of the resistive force that determines the speed of the DNA as it moves through the nanopore, which is just five to 10 nanometers wide. That understanding could help scientists figure out how to slow the DNA enough to make it readable and usable.

Associate Professor Sandip Ghosal and colleagues detailed their research in the June 8 issue of the journal Physical Review Letters.