Abstract: Coated capillary electrophoresis columns and methods for their use in electrophoretic separations are disclosed. The coated capillary columns include a length of tubing having an interior surface coated with at least one crosslinked organic multi-valent ionic compound capable of ionic interaction with charged chemical functionalities on the tubing interior surface. Exemplary columns are prepared by crosslinking a multi-functional amine compound with a diexpoxide, alkylating the crosslinked multi-functional amine compound to form a crosslinked quaternary ammonium compound, and then contacting the interior surface of capillary tubing with the crosslinked quaternary ammonium compound.

Abstract: Inverse Linkage Oligonucleotides ("ILO") useful in enzymatic process are disclosed. Particularly preferred ILOs are amenable to enzymatic elongation from either, or most preferably, both termini. In a particularly preferred embodiment, each terminus of an ILO has an enzymatically functional 3' group. Accordingly, under appropriate conditions and in the presence of, e.g., dNTPs, enzyme, sample DNA, and ILO comprising a first region complementary to a first region of the sample DNA and a second region complementary to a second, different region of the sample DNA, exponential amplification of the sample DNA can be effectuated.

Abstract: Coated capillary electrophoresis columns and methods for their use in electrophoretic separations are disclosed. The coated capillary columns include a length of tubing having an interior surface having an interconnected polymeric coating. The interconnected polymeric coating includes a hydrophobic polymeric functionality covalently bound to the interior surface and a hydrophilic polymer interconnected with the hydrophobic polymeric functionality. Exemplary columns are prepared by causing a Si-OH reactive compound, having a hydrophobic polymeric functionality, to react with Si-OH functionalities on the interior surface of capillary columns. Then causing a hydrophilic monomer to polymerize in contact with the hydrophobic polymeric functionality forms a coating of interconnecting hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers.

Abstract: Procedures such as oligonucleotide, peptide or protein syntheses or sequencing, or immunological or other biospecific assays involving long sequential series of chemical reactions are performed on a solid phase support retained in a pipette tip. The manipulations involved in bringing the solid support into contact with the various reagents or reactants involved in the procedure are performed and controlled by automated instrumentation.

Abstract: An automated method and apparatus for performing biopolymer synthesis on a two-dimensional support surface whereby a two-dimensional matrix or array of biopolymers are obtained on the surface. An applicator in the form of a thick plate having in a surface at least one cavity in the form of an open chamber or channel is used for applying reagents to the surface of a solid phase support material. The applicator is positioned over the solid support material with the surface having the cavity sealed against the material surface. For each cavity, reagents for synthesis are introduced sequentially into one end of the cavity and collected from the other end of the cavity. A one-dimensional array of biopolymers are thus formed on the support material, where each element of the array contains a population of biopolymers having identical sequence.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are protecting groups for exocyclic amino groups of the bases adenine, guanine and cytosine for use in the synthesis of oligonucleotides, the protecting groups being represented by the formula: --CO-- (CH.sub.2).sub.0-9 --CH.sub.3. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the base cytosine is protected with acetyl (--CO--CH.sub.3), and the oligonucleotide incorporating said protected cytosine is subjected to a cleavage/deprotection reagent comprising at least one straight chain alkylamine having from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A novel bidentate conjugate has two different chemical moieties, or bidentate members, attached through an adequate spacer moiety. Each bidentate member acts as a small molecule ligand and is capable of specifically binding to a different macromolecular substance. The bidentate members are relatively small molecules, usually less than about 7,000 Daltons in size. The spacer moiety is selected so that both bidentate members can simultaneously bind to their respective specific binding partners. Where the specific binding partners are multivalent, large complexes can be formed. The formation of these complexes can be inhibited by the presence of an unconjugated monovalent bidentate member, such as free analyte from a test sample. The bidentate is of particular use in turbidimetric or nephelometric inhibition immunoassay procedures.

Abstract: The filling of an internally coated capillary with a gel in its polymerized state without damaging the gel. The coating prevents bonding of the gel to the inside of the capillary, The gel comprises up to 6% acrylamide and 0-5% crosslinker. The gel can be advantageously and conveniently used in automated electrophoresis systems for automatic replacement of spent gel.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for identifying a radionuclide in a liquid sample containing at least one unknown radionuclide, in which specific properties which are essentially linear over extended quench ranges are employed as the primary basis for identifying the radionuclide. For example, the endpoint or maximum energy of a sample is related to Mantel's average energy or a property proportional to the average energy (such as isotope center number) in order to establish characteristic relationships for radionuclides of interest; comparison of measured values with characteristic values for specific radionuclides may in some cases be sufficient to identify a radionuclide unambiguously. The relationships between isotope center number, full width of the spectrum at half its maximum height and maximum energy may be exploited to provide a pair of characteristic equations for each radionuclide.

Abstract: Methods for controlling and varying electroosmotic flow in coated capillary electrophoresis columns under electrophoretic conditions are disclosed. The methods described herein involve varying the concentration of a multi-valent buffer compound in electrophoresis buffer compositions in order to control the electroosmotic flow in capillary columns having interior surfaces coated with charged organic coatings. Increasing the concentration of a multi-valent buffer compound which has a charge opposite the charge of the organic coating, in the electrophoresis buffer results in a decrease in electroosmotic flow. Decreasing the concentration of a multi-valent buffer compound results in an increase in electroosmotic flow. The ability to control electroosmotic flow provides enhanced resolution and optimizes separations of electrophoresis sample components.

Abstract: Improved fecal occult blood test having a matrix such as paper printed or impregnated with guaiac. The improvement comprises increasing the sensitivity while maintaining or improving the specificity of the test by employing an alcoholic-peroxide developing solution which contains an enhancing agent. The enhancers comprise phenolic type compounds such as esters of parahydroxybenzoic acids.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are variant versions of Streptolysin O produced by recombinant DNA techniques. In an embodiment, the variant is soluble upon expression and has a specific hemolytic activity of about 14 hemolytic units per milligram.

Abstract: A method for correcting for light scattering affects obtained from a sample to which a fluorophore has been added. In accordance with the invention, a sample to which a fluorophore has been added is irradiated with light in the adsorption band of the fluorophore such that the fluorophore emits light at a different intensity. By manipulating the pH of the sample, and obtaining both pre- and post-manipulation emission light intensity readings, the value of the reading attributed to "light scattering" can be determined, such that correction of an erroneous fluorescence reading can be obtained.

Abstract: Polymer blends having improved torque transmitting properties are disclosed. The polymer blends include polyetherurethane and a concentration of polyetherester sufficient to provide the polymer blend with a 37.degree. C. dynamic torque value greater than 40% of the polymer blend's 25.degree. C. dynamic torque value. The polymer blend can be thermally processed to form small diameter tubing suitable for general purpose catheters requiring both a high degree of maneuverability and sufficient resiliency to avoid tissue perforation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are derivatives of Streptolysin 0 produced by recombinant DNA techniques. In an embodiment, the derivative is soluble upon expression and has a specific hemolytic activity of about 3.6.times.10.sup.4 hemolytic units per milligram.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are capillary columns for capillary electrophoretic analysis of sample constituents. In an embodiment, the columns comprise a bifunctional layer comprising a positively charged amine group adsorbed to the inner wall of the capillary and an active functional group; a gel composition; hydrophilic polymer; and a separation composition capable of being removed from the column, interspersed within the remainder of the column. The disclosed columns are particularly well suited for the analysis of surfactant: proteinaceous material complexes, nucleic acid sequence, and analysis of restriction fragments according to size.

Abstract: Disclosed are reagents of methods for cleaving and deprotecting insolubilized and protected synthetic oligonucleotides. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the reagent comprises methylamine and t-butylamine.

Abstract: The filling of an internally coated capillary with a gel in its polymerized state without damaging the gel. The coating prevents bonding of the gel to the inside of the capillary. The gel comprises up to 6% acrylamide and 0-5% crosslinker. The gel can be advantageously and conveniently used in automated electrophoresis systems for automatic replacement of spent gel.

Abstract: Method for substituting a substitution compound for the hydrogen of a support bound primary hydroxyl group. The support bound primary hydroxyl group is treated in an organic, substantially anhydrous solvent in the presence of a tertiary amine base and the substitution compound.The substitution compound has a positive moiety and a negative moiety. The positive moiety is selected from the group consisting of trityl, pixyl, and derivatives thereof.The reagent is selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium salts, inorganic salts, and mixtures thereof. Each reagent has a cation and an anion moiety.The cation moiety of the reagent is more electropositive than the positive moiety of the substitution compound. This relationship enables the reagent to attract the negative moiety of the substitution compound.

Abstract: Ionic species and method for the quantitation of sample constituents utilizing capillary zone electrophoresis analysis are disclosed. As disclosed, at least one ionic species having a charge density of betwen about 0.02 and about 0.001 is added to the sample. Benzoic acid is a preferred ionic species. Quantitation of a sample constituent can be derived by normalizing the constituent species with the ionic species.