Nanopore sequencing is a promising new technology with beginnings in the previous millennium. It works by detecting changes in the electrical current flowing through a nanopore embedded in the membrane. The changes are caused by the passage of a charged molecule through a nanopore bound to the membrane. Oxford Nanopore Technologies is the company responsible for many advances in this field. In 2014, they released the MinION device, which offers many advantages over other next-generation sequencing methods. Although the first versions struggled to achieve high accuracy, improvements have raised the device to the standard of other next-generation technologies. The demands of modern diagnostics are moving away from traditional methods to faster technologies that can deliver results faster or even in real time. Nanopore technology has proven essential in monitoring and responding to many outbreaks of Ebola and other tropical diseases. The physical properties and capabilities of the MinION have allowed teams to sequence in previously inaccessible locations, improving situational control and providing more accurate insights into how pathogens change over the course of outbreaks. Sequencing speed, real-time result delivery, ease of use and portability are the reasons why the MinION instrument is increasingly used for diagnostic purposes in animals, plants and other species around the world.
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