Molecular counting
US7537897B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 22, 2007 |
| Grant date | May 26, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 22, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC12Q1/6816
- WIPO fieldBiotechnology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The invention provides methods and compositions for counting molecules in a sample, wherein each molecule is labeled with a unique oligonucleotide tag. Such tags are amplified and identified rather than the molecules themselves; that is, the problem of counting molecules is converted into the problem of counting tags. In one aspect of the invention, molecules to be counted are labeled by sampling. That is, conjugates are formed between the molecules to be counted and oligonucleotide tags of a very large set, or repertoire.After conjugation, a sample of conjugates is taken that is sufficiently small so that substantially every molecule has a unique oligonucleotide tag. Counting of different tags may be accomplished in a variety of ways. In one aspect, different tags may be counted by carrying out a series of sorting steps to generate successively less complex mixtures in which tags are enumerated using length-encoded “metric” tags. In another aspect, different tags may be counted by directly sequencing a sample of tags using any one of several different sequencing methodologies.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.