Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods useful for determining DNA quality after bisulfite treatment. The methods include a PCR-based assay, which allows ab-initio assessment of the DNA quality after bisulfite treatment and can help to prevent inaccurate quantitative measurement resulting from poor bisulfite treatment.

Abstract: Provided is an improved method for the detection of specific polymorphic alleles in a mixed DNA population. The method comprises enriching the relative percentage of a given polymorphic allele that is exponentially amplifiable by PCR. Also provided are methods for selectively enriching target nucleic acid, for example, fetal nucleic acid in a maternal sample. In the case of detecting fetal nucleic acid in a maternal sample, a restriction enzyme is introduced that can discriminate between the alleles of a polymorphic site. Preferably, the maternal allele is digested and nucleic acid comprising the paternal allele is relatively enriched.

Abstract: The invention in part provides nucleic acid-based assays, which are particularly useful for non-invasive prenatal testing. The invention in part provides compositions and methods for RhD typing, detecting the presence of fetal nucleic in a sample, determining the relative amount of fetal nucleic acid in a sample and determining the sex of a fetus, wherein each of the assays may be performed alone or in combination.

Abstract: Provided herein are libraries of nucleic acid species each comprising a transcription unit having a promoter region operatively linked to a coding sequence. The coding sequence of each nucleic acid species encodes a RNA cleavage substrate comprising a unique compomer species and a cleavage site. Each compomer species has a molecular mass distinguishable from the molecular mass of other compomer species in the library, and cleavage at a cleavage site releases a polynucleotide comprising the compomer species from the RNA cleavage substrate.

Abstract: Provided are compositions and processes that utilize genomic regions that are differentially methylated between a mother and her fetus to separate, isolate or enrich fetal nucleic acid from a maternal sample. The compositions and processes described herein are particularly useful for non-invasive prenatal diagnostics, including the detection of chromosomal aneuplodies.

Abstract: Provided herein are libraries of nucleic acid species each comprising a transcription unit having a promoter region operatively linked to a coding sequence. The coding sequence of each nucleic acid species encodes a RNA cleavage substrate comprising a unique compomer species and a cleavage site. Each compomer species has a molecular mass distinguishable from the molecular mass of other compomer species in the library, and cleavage at a cleavage site releases a polynucleotide comprising the compomer species from the RNA cleavage substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods useful for determining DNA quality after bisulfite treatment. The methods include a PCR-based assay, which allows ab-initio assessment of the DNA quality after bisulfite treatment and can help to prevent inaccurate quantitative measurement resulting from poor bisulfite treatment.

Abstract: Provided are compositions and processes that utilize genomic regions differentially methylated between a mother and her fetus to separate, isolate or enrich fetal nucleic acid from a maternal sample. The compositions and processes described herein are useful for non-invasive prenatal diagnostics, including the detection of chromosomal aneuplodies.

Abstract: Provided in part herein is an improved method for the detection of specific polymorphic alleles in a mixed DNA population. The method comprises enriching the relative percentage of a given polymorphic allele that is exponentially amplifiable by PCR. Provided also are methods for selectively enriching target nucleic acid, for example, fetal nucleic acid in a maternal sample. In the case of detecting fetal nucleic acid in a maternal sample, a restriction enzyme is introduced that can discriminate between the alleles of a polymorphic site. In some embodiments, the maternal allele is digested and nucleic acid comprising the paternal allele is relatively enriched.

Abstract: A large scale DNA methylation study was performed in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that revealed quantitative methylation patterns correlated with patient survival. Based on these results, a prognostic model was built which categorizes a patient's risk—either in a good or poor prognosis group. The findings provided herein support the use of genomic methylation markers for improved molecular classification and disease management in adult AML. Also, the results provide insight into the pathophysiology of AML and offer novel AML gene targets. Thus provided are methods and compositions for the prognosis of a subject suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) based on the methylation state of nucleic acids. The methods may used alone to determine a patient's prognosis or in combination with other prognostic factors or markers such as gene expression.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for identifying an unknown phenotype of a tissue that correlates with changes in the methylation state of the tissue comprising, nucleic acid sample from the tissue with a reagent that modifies unmethylated cytosine to produce uracil, amplifying the nucleic acid target gene region using at least one primer that hybridizes to a strand of said nucleic acid target gene region to produce amplified nucleic acids, determining the characteristic methylation state of the nucleic acid target gene region by base specific cleavage and identification of methylation sites and comparing the ratio of methylated cytosine to unmethylated cytosine for each methylation site of the nucleic acid target gene region to the ratio of methylated cytosine to unmethylated cytosine for each methylation site of a tissue nucleic acid sample of the same type having a known phenotype thereby identifying the unknown phenotype.

Abstract: Provided herein are libraries of nucleic acid species each comprising a transcription unit having a promoter region operatively linked to a coding sequence. The coding sequence of each nucleic acid species encodes a RNA cleavage substrate comprising a unique compomer species and a cleavage site. Each compomer species has a molecular mass distinguishable from the molecular mass of other compomer species in the library, and cleavage at a cleavage site releases a polynucleotide comprising the compomer species from the RNA cleavage substrate.

Abstract: The invention in part provides nucleic acid-based assays, which are particularly useful for non-invasive prenatal testing. The invention in part provides compositions and methods for RhD typing, detecting the presence of fetal nucleic in a sample, determining the relative amount of fetal nucleic acid in a sample and determining the sex of a fetus, wherein each of the assays may be performed alone or in combination.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for identifying an unknown phenotype of a tissue that correlates with changes in the methylation state of the tissue comprising, nucleic acid sample from the tissue with a reagent that modifies unmethylated cytosine to produce uracil, amplifying the nucleic acid target gene region using at least one primer that hybridizes to a strand of said nucleic acid target gene region to produce amplified nucleic acids, determining the characteristic methylation state of the nucleic acid target gene region by base specific cleavage and identification of methylation sites and comparing the ratio of methylated cytosine to unmethylated cytosine for each methylation site of the nucleic acid target gene region to the ratio of methylated cytosine to unmethylated cytosine for each methylation site of a tissue nucleic acid sample of the same type having a known phenotype thereby identifying the unknown phenotype.

Abstract: In order to reduce corrosion damage in the marginal edge region of a label, as can occur in particular in the case of metallized battery labels in an environment with high atmospheric humidity, it is proposed that, at or close to at least one portion of the peripheral edge (35) of the film layer (23) defining the label contour, the marginal edge (37) of a metallization layer (31) provided between a transparent plastic film layer (23) and a further covering layer (25) be sealed off by a sealing strip (41).

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel class of molecules, termed “compomers,” that enable the indirect detection of target molecules, as well as novel target detection reagents and compomer templates that encode compomers. Compomers are linear polymers generated from the compomer template portion of a target detection reagent during the course of an assay. In a given assay, each compomer species is correlated with a different target molecule, e.g., a carbohydrate, lipid, polypeptide, or target nucleic acid, particularly a specific nucleotide sequence within a target nucleic acid molecule. When, for example, a target nucleic acid is present in an assay, a compomer species specifically and uniquely correlated with the particular target (e.g.

Abstract: Methods, combinations and kits are provided for identifying the methylation state of a target nucleic acid molecule, the methylation state of a nucleotide locus in a target nucleic acid molecule, or for identifying the locus of one or more methylated or unmethylated nucleotides in a target nucleic acid molecule. Methylation state identification is performed by treating a methylated target nucleic acid molecule with a reagent that modifies one or more nucleotides in the target nucleic acid molecule as a function of the methylation state of the target nucleic acid molecule, methylation specifically amplifying treated target nucleic acid molecule, fragmenting amplified products, and detecting one or more fragments to thereby identify the methylation state of a target nucleic acid molecule, the methylation state of a nucleotide locus in a target nucleic acid molecule, or the locus of one or more methylated or unmethylated nucleotides in a target nucleic acid molecule.