337results about "Library tags" patented technology

The present invention provides novel microfluidic devices and methods that are useful for performing high-throughput screening assays and combinatorial chemistry. Such methods can include labeling a library of compounds by emulsifying aqueous solutions of the compounds and aqueous solutions of unique liquid labels on a microfluidic device, which includes a plurality of electrically addressable, channel bearing fluidic modules integrally arranged on a microfabricated substrate such that a continuous channel is provided for flow of immiscible fluids, whereby each compound is labeled with a unique liquid label, pooling the labeled emulsions, coalescing the labeled emulsions with emulsions containing a specific cell or enzyme, thereby forming a nanoreactor, screening the nanoreactors for a desirable reaction between the contents of the nanoreactor, and decoding the liquid label, thereby identifying a single compound from a library of compounds.

Magnetic nanoparticles and methods for their use in detecting biological molecules are disclosed. The magnetic nanoparticles can be attached to nucleic acid molecules, which are then captured by a complementary sequence attached to a detector, such as a spin valve detector or a magnetic tunnel junction detector. The detection of the bound magnetic nanoparticle can be achieved with high specificity and sensitivity.

The invention is an automated robotic system for the production and testing of formulations at a very high throughput. It is an integrated system of hardware and software capable of preparing and evaluating hundreds of emulsions per day. The system can formulate aqueous solutions (SL), oil in water emulsions (EW), suspo-emulsions (SE), micro capsule suspensions (CS), micro-emulsions (ME), and suspension concentrates (SC) at the 1 ml to 25 ml scale. The system can process emulsions rapidly in an automated way and enable very flexible formulation recipes to be introduced. The system allows chemists to generate experimental samples of varying recipe and method to be conducted in parallel with projected throughput of up to 1200 formulations processed and characterized per day. Materials and consumables can be distributed from storage storage systems to the work stations where dispensing of ingredients in various states can be performed, including solids, liquids, gels, pastes, suspensions and waxes. The emulsions formed can be characterized using methods including phase diagnosis, turbidity analysis, viscosity and particle sizing using automated test equipment. An integrated module can also perform Tank Mix Compatibility testing in high throughput mode. The modular system allows future processes and tests to be added, either to a station, or as a new station. The software capability includes tracking of processes from start to finish and the integration of analytical data with the as-designed and as-formulated experimental results.

Families of compositions are provided as labels, referred to as eTag reporters for attaching to polymeric compounds and assaying based on release of the eTag reporters from the polymeric compound and separation and detection. For oligonucleotides, the eTag reporters are synthesized at the end of the oligonucleotide by using phosphite or phosphate chemistry, whereby mass-modifying regions, charge-modifying regions and detectable regions are added sequentially to produce the eTag labeled reporters. By using small building blocks and varying their combination large numbers of different eTag reporters can be readily produced attached to a binding compound specific for the target compound of interest for identification. Protocols are used that release the eTag reporter when the target compound is present in the sample.

Methods and compositions are provided for detecting single nucleotide polymorphisms using a pair of oligonucleotides, a primer and a snp detection sequence, where the snp detection sequence hybridizes to the target DNA downstream from the primer and in the direction of primer extension. The snp detection sequence is characterized by having a nucleotide complementary to the snp and adjacent nucleotide complementary to adjacent nucleotides in the target and an electophoretic tag bonded to the 5'-nucleotide. The pair of oligonucleotides is combined with the target DNA under primer extension conditions, where the polymerase has 5'-3' exonuclease activity. When the snp is present, the electophoretic tag is released from the snp detection sequence, and can be detected by electrophoresis as indicative of the presence of the snp in the target DNA.

Freestanding particles comprising a plurality of segments, wherein the particle length is from 20 nm to 50 μm and the particle width is form 5 nm to 50 μm.

Disclosed are chemical encryption methods for determining the structure of compounds formed in situ on solid supports by the use of specific amines tags which, after compound synthesis, can be deencrypted to provide the structure of the compound found on the support.

The invention provides a method of tracking, identifying, and/or sorting classes or subpopulations of molecules by the use of oligonucleotide tags. Oligonucleotide tags of the invention each consist of a plurality of subunits 3 to 6 nucleotides in length selected from a minimally cross-hybridizing set. A subunit of a minimally cross-hybridizing set forms a duplex or triplex having two or more mismatches with the complement of any other subunit of the same set. The number of oligonucleotide tags available in a particular embodiment depends on the number of subunits per tag and on the length of the subunit. An important aspect of the invention is the use of the oligonucleotide tags for sorting polynucleotides by specifically hybridizing tags attached to the polynucleotides to their complements on solid phase supports. This embodiment provides a readily automated system for manipulating and sorting polynucleotides, particularly useful in large-scale parallel operations, such as large-scale DNA sequencing, mRNA fingerprinting, and the like, wherein many target polynucleotides or many segments of a single target polynucleotide are sequenced simultaneously.

A bead dispensing system is provided for delivering small amounts of substances onto substrates. The system can include, for example, a movable support structure having an array of spaced-apart projections depending from its lower side. An attraction source, such as a vacuum, magnetic, and/or electrostatic force, is operable at each projection end region to attract and retain one bead. The projection array can be aligned with an array of bead-receiving regions of a substrate, e.g., an array of spaced-apart wells of a micro-plate or card. In one embodiment, a plurality of reagent-carrying beads are picked up, retained at respective projection end regions, and moved to a location over a multi-well plate. The beads are then released in a fashion permitting each bead to land in a respective well. The system of the invention is particularly useful for fabricating arrays of reagents.

Methods and compositions are provided for detecting target molecules, e.g. DNA sequences, particularly single nucleotide polymorphisms, using a pair of nucleotide sequences, a primer and a snp detection sequence, where the snp detection sequence binds downstream from the primer to the target DNA in the direction of primer extension, or ligands and receptors. The methods employ e-tags comprising a mobility-identifying region joined to a detectable label and a target-binding region. The result of the binding of the target-binding region to the target is to have a bond cleaved in the starting material with the production of a detectable product with a different mobility from the starting material, where the different e-tags can be separated and detected.

Systems, including apparatus and methods, for performing assays with adjustable fluid communication between samples.

Microarrays are prepared by using a separate fiber for each compound being used in the microarray. The fibers are bundled and sectioned to form a thin microarray that may be glued to a backing.

Methods and compositions for encoding and decoding array information on an array are provided. The methods involve contacting an array containing one or more array information features with a sample containing target that binds to at least one of the one or more array information features to produce at least one signal that provides information about the array.