Patent ID: 7329492
Filing Date: 2008-02-12
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
1. A method for sequencing a plurality of target nucleic acid molecules, the method comprising: subjecting the plurality of target nucleic acid molecules to a polymerization reaction including a plurality of types of nucleotides or nucleotide analogs to yield a population of growing nucleic acid strands that are complementary to their respective target nucleic acid molecules, wherein the target nucleic acid molecule and/or a nucleic acid polymerase is attached to a support, where at least one of the types of nucleotides or nucleotide analogs includes a first atomic or molecular tag bonded to a nucleotide or nucleotide analog part released during incorporation; and optically identifying a time sequence of incorporation events, at least one of the incorporation events involving the incorporation of a tagged nucleotide or nucleotide analog into at least one growing nucleic acid strand in the population, where each event involving a tagged nucleotide or nucleotide analog is characterized by a change in a detectable property of the first tag.