Stabilizing a nucleic acid for nucleic acid sequencing

Abstract

The invention provides methods for sequencing a nucleic acid comprising stabilizing a primer/target nucleic acid duplex on a substrate. Methods of the invention generally contemplate the use of a dual-anchored primer/target nucleic acid duplex, or a stabilizing molecule in a single molecule sequencing reaction.

1 . A surface for nucleic acid sequencing, said surface comprising a nucleic acid duplex composed of a template and a primer, each of said template and primer being attached to a member of a binding pair, such that each of said members is oriented toward said surface.  
     
     
         2 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein each duplex is individually optically resolvable.  
     
     
         3 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein said surface is a polyelectrolyte multilayer.  
     
     
         4 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein said surface is an epoxide surface.  
     
     
         5 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein said surface is deposited on a substrate selected from the group consisting of glass and silica.  
     
     
         6 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein binding partners of said members are covalently attached to said surface.  
     
     
         7 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein said binding pair is selected from the group consisting of a ligand/receptor pair, an affinity binding pair, an antigen/antibody pair, and a carbohydrate/lectin pair.  
     
     
         8 . The surface of  claim 7 , wherein said pair is selected from the group consisting of biotin/avidin, digoxigenin/anit-digoxigenin, and dintirophenol/anti-dinitrophenol.