Iterative Nucleic Acid Assembly via Vector Trait Activation

Solution Overview

Problem

Current nucleic acid assembly methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to errors, particularly in assembling long nucleic acid products, due to the need for laborious cloning and size selection steps, and often require individual clones to be isolated and analyzed in each assembly cycle.

Innovation Solution

The method involves iterative assembly cycles using vector-encoded traits to activate specific traits upon correct assembly, allowing for the selection of correctly assembled nucleic acids without individual clone isolation, and combining nucleic acid fragments with activated traits in subsequent cycles to build longer products, reducing the need for size selection and increasing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional nucleic acid assembly methods are used, then individual clones can be isolated and analyzed to ensure correct assembly, but the process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly accuracyVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by allowing the nucleic acid assembly process to self-select and self-verify correct assemblies through automated trait activation and selection mechanisms, eliminating the need for manual clone isolation and analysis while maintaining high assembly accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by using trait activation as a verification mechanism where correctly assembled nucleic acids automatically activate specific traits that can be detected and selected for, providing real-time feedback on assembly correctness without requiring time-consuming manual analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If traditional nucleic acid assembly methods are used, then individual clones must be isolated and analyzed in each assembly cycle, but this increases labor intensity and reduces productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly verificationVSAvoidassembly throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by allowing the nucleic acid assembly process to self-select and self-verify correct assemblies through automated trait activation and selection mechanisms, eliminating the need for manual clone isolation and analysis while maintaining high assembly accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by using trait activation as a verification mechanism where correctly assembled nucleic acids automatically activate specific traits that can be detected and selected for, providing real-time feedback on assembly correctness without requiring time-consuming manual analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If size selection steps are performed in each assembly cycle, then correctly sized nucleic acid products can be isolated, but this increases process complexity and labor requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct size controlVSAvoidassembly process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by allowing the nucleic acid assembly process to self-select and self-verify correct assemblies through automated trait activation and selection mechanisms, eliminating the need for manual clone isolation and analysis while maintaining high assembly accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by using trait activation as a verification mechanism where correctly assembled nucleic acids automatically activate specific traits that can be detected and selected for, providing real-time feedback on assembly correctness without requiring time-consuming manual analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10202608B2Iterative nucleic acid assembly using activation of vector-encoded traits

Publication Date: 2019.02.12 TWIST BIOSCIENCE CORP

AI summary

Certain aspects of the present invention provide methods for assembling nucleic acid molecules using iterative activation of one or more vector-encoded traits to progressively assemble a longer nucleic acid insert. Aspects of the invention also provide kits, compositions, devices, and systems for assembling synthetic nucleic acids using iterative activation of one or more vector-encoded traits.