Abstract: Pseudo-positive data can be reduced by incubating a solution containing an enzyme in the absence of a test substance and a substrate of the enzyme.

Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid sequence in a sample, said method comprising subjecting said sample to an amplification reaction using a set of nucleotides, at least one of which is labelled with a first label, and a reagent comprising an amplification primer which can hybridise to said target sequence when in single stranded form and which is connected at its 5? end to a probe which carries a second label by way of a chemical linking group, said labelled probe being of a sequence which is similar to that of the said target sequence, such that it can hybridise to a complementary region in an amplification product, and wherein one of the first or the second label comprises a donor label and the other comprises an acceptor label, the donor label comprising a fluorescent molecule which is able to donate fluorescent energy to the acceptor label; and monitoring fluorescence of said sample.

Abstract: Fluorescent labels having at least one donor and at least one acceptor fluorophore bonded to a polymeric backbone in energy transfer relationship, as well as methods for their use, are provided. Of particular interest are the subject labels wherein the polymeric backbone is a nucleic acid and the donor fluorophore is bonded to the 5? terminus of said nucleic acid. Such labels find use as primers in applications involving nucleic acid chain extension, such as sequencing, PCR and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the identification and cloning of functional plant centromeres in Arabidopsis. This will permit construction of stably inherited plant artificial chromosomes (PLACs) which can serve as vectors for the construction of transgenic plant and animal cells. In addition, information on the structure and function of these regions will prove valuable in isolating additional centromeric and centromere related genetic elements and polypeptides from other species.

Abstract: The small molecule profiles of cells are compared to identify small molecules which are modulated in altered states. Cellular small molecule libraries, methods of identifying tissue sources, methods for treating genetic and non-genetic diseases, and methods for predicting the efficacy of drugs are also discussed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to prognostic methods which are useful in medicine, particularly cancer chemotherapy. The object of the invention to provide a method for assessing Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) expression levels in tissues and prognosticate the probable resistance of a patient's tumor to treatment with 5-FU based therapies by examination of the amount of DPD mRNA in a patient's tumor cells and comparing it to a predetermined threshold expression level. More specifically, the invention provides to oligonucleotide primer pairs DPD3A and DPD3B and methods comprising their use for detecting levels of Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) mRNA.

Abstract: A method of analyzing a polynucleotide of interest, comprising providing one or more sets of consecutive oligonucleotide primers differing within each set by one base at the growing end therof; annealing a single strand of the polynucleotide or a fragment of the polynucleotide to the oligonucleotide primers under hybridization conditions; subjecting the primers to single base extension reactions with a polymerase and terminating nucleotides, the terminating nucleotides being mutually distinguishable; and observing the location and identity of each terminating nucleotide to thereby analyze the sequence or a part of the nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide of interest, is disclosed. An apparatus comprising a solid support to which is attached at defined locations thereon one or more sets of consecutive oligonucleotide primers differing within each set by one base at the growing end thereof is also described.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for determining the presence or absence of a target nucleic acid (e.g. DNA) sequence in a sample nucleic acid, the method comprising: (a) exposing the sample to a detection agent comprising a colloid metal surface associated with a SER(R)S active species (SAS) such as an azo dye and with a target binding species (TBS) which may be PNA which is complementary to the target, and (b) observing the sample agent mixture using SER(R)S to detect any surface enhancement of the label wherein the binding of the TBS to the target sequence causes surface enhancement SAS.

Abstract: The subject of the present invention is the use of the ROR receptors and/or of their response element or alternatively of a functional equivalent thereof for the screening of substances having antiatherosclerotic properties. The invention also relates to the methods of screening substances having antiatherosclerotic properties using the ROR receptors and/or their response elements. The invention also relates to the use of the methods of screening according to the present invention in order to characterize, justify and claim the mechanism of action of substances having antiatherosclerotic properties using the ROR receptors and/or their response elements as well as their effects on apo C-III.

Abstract: The invention is a method for the formation and analysis of novel miniature deposition domains. These deposition domains are placed on a surface to form a molecular array. The molecular array is scanned with an AFM to analyze molecular recognition events and the effect of introduced agents on defined molecular interactions. This approach can be carried out in a high throughput format, allowing rapid screening of thousands of molecular species in a solid state array. The procedures described here have the added benefit of allowing the measurement of changes in molecular binding events resulting from changes in the analysis environment or introduction of additional effector molecules to the assay system. The processes described herein are extremely useful in the search for compounds such as new drugs for treatment of undesirable physiological conditions.

Abstract: A method of detecting a mutation or a difference of one or more nucleotides between a nucleic acid molecule to be tested and a reference nucleic acid molecule, said method comprising subjecting the test nucleic acid molecule to base specific cleavage to generate oligonucleotide fragments, separating the resulting oligonucleotide fragments based on mass by MALDI-ATOF MS and/or other equivalent procedure to produce a fingerprint of then oligonucleotide fragments comprising one or more peaks wherein a peak represents the mass of each fragment and identifying an altered peak relative to a reference nucleic acid molecule subjected to the same procedure wherein the presence of an altered peak is indicative of a difference of one or more nucleotides in said tested nucleic acid molecule.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying inherited point mutations in a targeted region of the genome in a large population of individuals and determining which inherited point mutations are deleterious, harmful or beneficial. Deleterious mutation are identified directly by a method of recognition using the set of point mutations observed in a large population of juveniles. Harmful mutations are identified by comparison of the set of point mutation observed in a large set of juveniles and a large set of aged individuals of the same population. Beneficial mutations are similarly identified.

Abstract: A method and a package for identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms in Fc?RI is useful in identifying individual susceptibility to a disease. Fc?RI is active as a cellular receptor of IgA. The susceptibility and severity of an IgA related disease is determined by genotyping or phenotyping an individual for Fc?RI.

Abstract: Methods of using overlapping peptides for the discovery of discontinuous epitopes, as vaccines, for drug design, for diagnostic purposes and for the elucidation of three-dimensional protein structure. Specifically, these methods can be used to map conformational epitopes using overlapping peptides. The methods are both complete, yet more specific than random phage libraries. They can also be used to develop DNA vaccines which exploit the concept of overlapping peptides in a variety of expression systems. Conformational epitopes prepared with these methods can be used for preparing antibodies, as components of diagnostic tools, and for elucidating three-dimensional protein structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for assaying specific binding of a probe to a target, includes: a sample support; a light source; an optical train; a light detector; an electricity source; an electrical property detector; and a data analysis device adapted to: (a) compare an optical determination of binding with an electrical determination of binding, or (b) compare a pre-electrification determination of binding with a post-electrification determination of binding.

Abstract: The disclosed methods, apparatus and compositions are of use for nucleic acid sequencing. More particularly, the methods and apparatus concern sequencing single molecules of single stranded DNA or RNA by exposing the molecule to exonuclease activity, removing free nucleotides one at a time from one end of the nucleic acid, and identifying the released nucleotides by Raman spectroscopy or FRET.

Abstract: A method and device is disclosed for high speed, automated sequencing of nucleic acid molecules. A nucleic acid molecule to be sequenced is exposed to a polymerase in the presence of nucleotides which are to be incorporated into a complementary nucleic acid strand. The polymerase carries a donor fluorophore, and each type of nucleotide (e.g. A, T/U, C and G) carries a distinguishable acceptor fluorophore characteristic of the particular type of nucleotide. As the polymerase incorporates individual nucleic acid molecules into a complementary strand, a laser continuously irradiates the donor fluorophore, at a wavelength that causes it to emit an emission signal (but the laser wavelength does not stimulate the acceptor fluorophore). In particular embodiments, no laser is needed if the donor fluorophore is a luminescent molecule or is stimulated by one.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for identifying a thermostable polymerase having altered fidelity. The method consists of generating a random population of polymerase mutants by mutating at least one amino acid residue of a thermostable polymerase and screening the population for one or more active polymerase mutants by genetic selection. For example, the invention provides a method for identifying a thermostable polymerase having altered fidelity by mutating at least one amino acid residue in an active site O-helix of a thermostable polymerase. The invention also provides thermostable polymerases and nucleic acids encoding thermostable polymerases having altered fidelity, for example, high fidelity polymerases and low fidelity polymerases. The invention additionally provides a method for identifying one or more mutations in a gene by amplifying the gene with a high fidelity polymerase.

Abstract: The invention provides biological molecules modified by reaction with a compound having the formula: R1—X—R2, wherein R1 is a cyclic ether group or an amino group, R2 is an alkoxysilane group and X is a moiety chemically suitable for linking the cyclic ether group or the amino group to the alkoxysilane group. The invention also provides arrays, or “biochips,” comprising these modified biological molecules. Also provided are methods for making and using these compositions.

Abstract: An RNA amplification method is particularly useful for diagnosing bacterial or viral infections or genetic disorders and for cell typing. The method includes the steps of denaturing a solution containing RNA, synthesizing a first cDNA strand from a suitable primer in the presence of reverse transcriptase, denaturing the heteroduplex formed, synthesizing a second cDNA strand from a second primer in the presence of DNA polymerase and then subjecting the cDNA formed to a sufficient number of amplification cycles. All the reactants and solvents are first placed in the same container to provide a single manipulation step that avoids the risk of contamination.