High throughput discovery of new genes from complex mixtures of environmental microbes

US9896686B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AgBiome, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Vadim Beilinson · Cary, US
• Janice C. Jones · Apex, US
• Jessica Parks · Raleigh, US
• Rebecca E. Thayer · Morrisville, US
• Daniel J. Tomso · Durham, US
• Scott Joseph Uknes · Apex, US
• Sandy Volrath · Durham, US
• Eric R. Ward · Basel, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 8, 2015
• Grant date: Feb 20, 2018
• Expiry date: Feb 17, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12Q1/6869
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Compositions and methods for isolating new variants of known gene sequences are provided. The methods find use in identifying variants, particularly homologs, in complex mixtures. Compositions comprise hybridization baits that hybridize to gene families of interest, particularly agricultural interest, in order to selectively enrich the polynucleotides of interest from complex mixtures. Bait sequences may be specific for a number of genes from distinct gene families of interest and may be designed to cover each gene of interest by at least 2-fold. Thus methods disclosed herein are drawn to an oligonucleotide hybridization gene capture approach for identification of new genes of interest from environmental samples. This approach bypasses the need for labor-intensive microbial strain isolation, permits simultaneous discovery of genes from multiple gene families of interest, and increases the potential to discover genes from low-abundance and unculturable organisms present in complex mixtures of environmental microbes.