Nucleic Acid Polymerase QC via Constant Specific Activity Dilution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for evaluating the activity and purity of nucleic acid polymerases in molecular diagnostic reagents are inadequate, particularly during intermediate stages of production, leading to difficulties in ensuring enzyme quality and consistency.

Innovation Solution

A method is developed to evaluate the state of nucleic acid polymerases by determining a dilution factor at which the specific activity exhibits a substantially constant value, allowing for accurate measurement of enzyme activity and purity through a nucleic acid polymerization reaction using a composition that includes a primer and a detectable signal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the product is measured without dilution, then the measurement reflects the actual concentration, but impurities and inactive proteins interfere with accurate activity measurement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecific activity measurement accuracyVSAvoidinterference from impurities and inactive proteins
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful components (impurities and inactive proteins) from the measurement system by diluting the product. This allows the active polymerase to be measured accurately while the interfering substances become negligible in concentration, resolving the contradiction between measuring actual concentration and avoiding interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the concentration parameter by introducing a dilution factor. By measuring at multiple dilution levels and identifying where specific activity becomes constant, the method transforms the measurement from being concentration-dependent to being purity-independent, thereby achieving accurate specific activity measurement despite the presence of impurities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If radioactive isotopes are used for measurement, then high accuracy is achieved, but environmental problems and health risks occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolymerase activity measurement accuracyVSAvoidenvironmental pollution and health risks from radioactive isotopes
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive and harmful radioactive isotopes with a non-radioactive fluorescent detection system. The fluorescently labeled nucleotides provide sufficient measurement accuracy without the long-term environmental and health risks associated with radioactive materials, effectively substituting a harmful measurement approach with a safer alternative.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the radioactive detection mechanism with a fluorescent detection mechanism. Instead of measuring radioactivity, the system uses fluorescence signals from labeled nucleotides incorporated during polymerization, replacing a harmful physical measurement approach with a safer optical detection method while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If dilution is applied to remove interference, then measurement accuracy improves, but the concentration of the enzyme decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecific activity measurement accuracyVSAvoidenzyme concentration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a feedback approach by measuring polymerase activity at multiple dilution levels and using the results to calculate the dilution factor where specific activity becomes constant. This feedback loop allows determination of accurate specific activity while accounting for the concentration reduction caused by dilution, transforming the concentration decrease into useful information for accurate measurement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables precise monitoring of nucleic acid polymerase activity and purity throughout the preparation process, ensuring high-quality enzyme production by identifying a consistent specific activity level regardless of eluate type or impurity levels.

Implementation Method 1

DNA polymerase is an enzyme that polymerizes DNA using DNA or RNA as a template

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnzyme catalysis: Enzyme

Implementation Method 2

the primer is extended by the nucleic acid polymerase contained in the product under polymerization condition to form an extended duplex

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNucleic acid polymerization:

Implementation Method 3

a detectable signal is provided in a manner dependent on the extended duplex

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDetectable signal:

Data Source

PatentEP4671379A1Method for evaluating status of nucleic acid polymerase included in product obtained from preparation of nucleic acid polymerase
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 SEEGENE INC
  • EP4671379A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4671379A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4671379A1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for evaluating the state of a nucleic acid polymerase contained in a product obtained from the preparation process of a nucleic acid polymerase, and a method for obtaining a QC-able nucleic acid polymerase from the product. The present invention can evaluate the state of a nucleic acid polymerase contained in a product obtained from the preparation process of a nucleic acid polymerase by diluting the product obtained from the preparation process of the nucleic acid polymerase to a dilution factor at which specific activity of the nucleic acid polymerase contained in the product shows a substantially constant value.