Abstract: The method according to the invention permits a selected withdrawal of one or a few molecularly disperse or cellular components of a system, such as molecules, molecular complexes, vesicles, micelles, cells, optionally together with an associated volume element V having a size of 10?9 l?V?10?18 l from a larger sample volume. The selected transfer of the sought component to another environment is effected by defining the space and time of withdrawal by means of a signal correlating with the small component to be withdrawn. The method is particularly useful for the withdrawal of non-abundant components the existence of which can be detected in a preceding step by a scanning process. The method is also useful for the withdrawal of per se unidentified components.

Abstract: A Method for identifying one or a small number of molecules, especially in a dilution of ?1 ?M, using laser excited FCS with measuring times ?500 ms and short diffusion paths of the molecules to be analyzed, wherein the measurement is performed in small volume units of preferably ?10?14 l, by determining material-specific parameters which are determined by luminescence measurements of molecules to be examined. The device which can be preferably used for performing the method according to the invention is a per se known system of microscope optics for laser focusing for fluorescence excitation in a small measuring compartment of a very diluted solution and for imaging the emitted light in the subsequent measurement through confocal imaging wherein at least one system of optics with high numerical aperture of preferably ?1.2 N.A.

Abstract: A method for the determination and individual characterization of particles by means of at least two different detectable probes in a sample is proposed, wherein the particles, especially molecules or molecular aggregates, have at least one binding site, preferably a multitude of binding sites, for at least one of said at least two different detectable probes; said at least two different detectable probes are present in the sample; a measure of the number of bound probes and the mutual ratio of bound probes are established by determining particles; said determining being effected on the basis of single particles.

Abstract: A Method for identifying one or a small number of molecules, especially in a dilution of ?1 ?M, using laser excited FCS with measuring times ?500 ms and short diffusion paths of the molecules to be analyzed, wherein the measurement is performed in small volume units of preferably ?10?14 l, by determining material-specific parameters which are determined by luminescence measurements of molecules to be examined. The device which can be preferably used for performing the method according to the invention is a per se known system of microscope optics for laser focusing for fluorescence excitation in a small measuring compartment of a very diluted solution and for imaging the emitted light in the subsequent measurement through confocal imaging wherein at least one system of optics with high numerical aperture of preferably ?1.2 N.A.

Abstract: A Method for identifying one or a small number of molecules, especially in a dilution of ?1 ?M, using laser excited FCS with measuring times ?500 ms and short diffusion paths of the molecules to be analyzed, wherein the measurement is performed in small volume units of preferably ?10?14 l, by determining material-specific parameters which are determined by luminescence measurements of molecules to be examined. The device which can be preferably used for performing the method according to the invention is a per se known system of microscope optics for laser focusing for fluorescence excitation in a small measuring compartment of a very diluted solution and for imaging the emitted light in the subsequent measurement through confocal imaging wherein at least one system of optics with high numerical aperture of preferably ?1.2 N.A.

Abstract: A process for instabilizing viral quasi-species-distributions under avoidance of resistance phenomena by replication of the nucleic acids of the viruses present in the quasi-species-distribution by of a defective replication system, a) whereby the defective replication system has a rate of misincorporation for nucleotides above the rate of misincorporation of the viral wild-type-replication system and, whereby the viruses are replicated by the replication system having the higher rate of misincorporation at least as effectively as it is done by the replication system of the wild-type virus, b) and/or negative influence of the replication of the consensus-sequence (nucleic acid sequence of the wild-type virus) in relation to other replicatable nucleic acids.

Abstract: The method according to the invention permits a selected withdrawal of one or a few molecularly disperse or cellular components of a system, such as molecules, molecular complexes, vesicles, micelles, cells, optionally together with an associated volume element V having a size of 10?9 l?V?10?18 l from a larger sample volume. The selected transfer of the sought component to another environment is effected by defining the space and time of withdrawal by means of a signal correlating with the small component to be withdrawn. The method is particularly useful for the withdrawal of non-abundant components the existence of which can be detected in a preceding step by a scanning process. The method is also useful for the withdrawal of per se unidentified components.

Abstract: The method according to the invention permits a selected withdrawal of one or a few molecularly disperse or cellular components of a system, such as molecules, molecular complexes, vesicles, micelles, cells, optionally together with an associated volume element V having a size of 10?9 l?V?10?18 l from a larger sample volume. The selected transfer of the sought component to another environment is effected by defining the space and time of withdrawal by means of a signal correlating with the small component to be withdrawn. The method is particularly useful for the withdrawal of non-abundant components the existence of which can be detected in a preceding step by a scanning process. The method is also useful for the withdrawal of per se unidentified components.

Abstract: A method for the production of biopolymers with modified properties wherein at least one cycle comprising the following steps is completed: (a) providing a population of single-stranded polynucleotide molecules, wherein individual polynucleotide molecules comprise homologous and heterologous sequence segments and wherein individual ones of said single-stranded polynucleotide molecules can form double-stranded polynucleotide molecules with other ones of said single-stranded polynucleotide molecules within said population; (b) forming double-stranded polynucleotide molecules from the population of single-stranded polynucleotide molecules provided according to step (a) comprising double-stranded polynucleotide molecules with different heterologous sequence segments; (c) partially and exonucleolytically degrading the single-strands of the double-stranded polynucleotide molecules produced according to step (b); and (d) temple-directed single-stand synthesizing the degraded ends of the partially degraded double

Abstract: A method for identifying one or a small number of molecules, especially in a dilution of ≦1 &mgr;M, using laser excited FCS with measuring times ≦500 ms and short diffusion paths of the molecules to be analyzed, wherein the measurement is performed in small volume units of preferably ≦10−14 l, by determining material-specific parameters which are determined by luminescence measurements of molecules to be examined.

Abstract: A method for the diagnostic detection of diseases associated with protein depositions (pathological protein depositions) by measuring an association of substructures of the pathological protein depositions, structures forming pathological protein depositions, structures corresponding to pathological protein depositions and/or pathological protein depositions as a probe; to substructures of the pathological protein depositions structures forming pathological protein depositions, structures corresponding to pathological protein deposition and/or pathological protein depositions as targets; characterized in that the target is detected in liquid phase wherein, in the case of detecting Alzheimer's disease, the liquid phase is obtained from body fluids or is itself a body fluid; with the proviso that the association of the probe to the target is measured before self-aggregation of the probe predominates.

Abstract: A process for instabilizing viral quasi-species-distributions under avoidance of resistance phenomena by replication of the nucleic acids of the viruses present in the quasi-species-distribution by of a defective replication system,

Abstract: A process for instabilizing viral quasi-species-distributions under avoidance of resistance phenomena by replication of the nucleic acids of the viruses present in the quasi-species-distribution by of a defective replication system, a) whereby the defective replication system has a rate of misincorporation for nucleotides above the rate of misincorporation of the viral wild-type-replication system and, whereby the viruses are replicated by the replication system having the higher rate of misincorporation at least as effectively as it is done by the replication system of the wild-type virus, b) and/or negative influence of the replication of the consensus-sequence (nucleic acid sequence of the wild-type virus) in relation to other replicatable nucleic acids.

Abstract: The method according to the invention permits a selected withdrawal of one or a few molecularly disperse or cellular components of a system, such as molecules, molecular complexes, vesicles, micelles, cells, optionally together with an associated volume element V having a size of 10−9 l≧V≧10−18 l from a larger sample volume. The selected transfer of the sought component to another environment is effected by defining the space and time of withdrawal by means of a signal correlating with the small component to be withdrawn. The method is particularly useful for the withdrawal of non-abundant components the existence of which can be detected in a preceding step by a scanning process. The method is also useful for the withdrawal of per se unidentified components.

Abstract: A method for the diagnostic detection of diseases associated with protein depositions (pathological protein depositions) by measuring an association of substructures of the pathological protein depositions, structures forming pathological protein depositions, structures corresponding to pathological protein depositions and/or pathological protein depositions as a probe; to substructures of the pathological protein depositions, structures forming pathological protein depositions, structures corresponding to pathological protein depositions and/or pathological protein depositions as targets; characterized in that the target is detected in liquid phase wherein, in the case of detecting Alzheimer's disease, the liquid phase is obtained from body fluids or is itself a body fluid; with the proviso that the association of the probe to the target is measured before self-aggregation of the probe predominates.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting reactions and conformational changes of analytes in a sample by coincidence analysis, as follows: the sample is marked with at least two different fluorescent dyes and then illuminated with at least one laser in order to stimulate the emission of fluorescence; the fluorescence signals are detected by at least two detection units and each signal is broken down into any simultaneous time segments with the desired time slot widths; the number of signals contained in at least one time segment and/or the time intervals between signals in the time segments are detected; a coincidence analysis of the data detected is carried out for at least one time segment of the first detection unit with at least one isochronous time segment of the second detection unit; statistics are produced showing the results of the coincidence analysis and/or the results are subjected to a threshold value analysis, and these statistics or a combination of more statistics are evaluated for the

Abstract: A process for the qualitative and quantitative determination of at least one in vitro amplified nucleic acid in a sealed reaction chamber,wherein during or subsequent to the amplification of the nucleic acid at least one substance (probe) is present which interacts with the nucleic acid to be detected;wherein spectroscopically measurable parameters of said substance (probe) are subject to variation, creating a measurable signal;wherein the sample to be measured is exposed to the action of a gradient capable of at least partially denaturing nucleic acids;with detection of the measurable parameter undergoing variation through the action of the gradient; andthe entire amplification reaction, including qualitative and quantitative determination, may be carried out in a sealed reaction chamber (measuring compartment) without intermittent opening,permitting to automatically operate the diagnostic method of DNA and RNA amplification in qualitative and quantitative fashion on large series of samples.

Abstract: Described is a support material that can simultaneously bind both genotypic and phenotypic substances. The respective areas, which can have surface-modifying matter such as anionic exchangers and/or affinity ligands, simultaneously bind, for example, nucleic acids and proteins or peptides. The support materials described can be used in processes for evolutive optimization of biopolymers, wherein genotype and phenotype can be bound at the same time so as to furnish them for further analysis.

Abstract: A method for the direct identification of few, preferably single nucleic acid strands of a specific target sequence (10) in a test solution comprising the following steps:a) Preparation of a reference solution with a mixture (11) of different, short primers (12, 13, 14) each with a so-called antisense-sequence (a', b', c') complementary to a section (a, b, c) of the target sequence (10), and marked with one or more dye molecules,b) mixture of the reference solution with the test solution and incubation of this mixture (15) under conditions allowing hybridization of the primers (12, 1, 14) with the nucleic acid strands to be identified, and thenc) identification of the target sequence (10) in the incubated solution (15) by discriminating few, preferably one of the nucleic acid strands to be identified to which one or more primers (12, 13, 14) have hybridized against the background of the non-hybridized primers (12, 13, 14).

Abstract: The process of generating new biopolymers with improved characteristics, assisted by polymerases, is characterized in that at least one cycle of the steps described below, will be performed in a series of parallel preparations which are to be compared. Sequences of nucleic acids or, a mixture of similar sequences of nucleic acids in the distribution of mutants of a quasi-species, are subjected, in the region of the error threshold, to limited mutagenesis. These mixtures are replicated under simultaneous conditions and/or in succession. The mixtures of the so product nucleic acids are compartmentalized by segregation, and thereafter selected by a selection system which reflects the characteristics of interest of the nucleic acid sequence itself or, indirectly, via its translation product.