Abstract: Wash solution and method for purifying sequencing reaction product. The wash solution comprises an effective amount of guanidine in a low ionic solution to reduce or eliminate the presence of dye terminators in a sequencing reaction product. In its method aspects, the present invention comprises the addition of the wash solution to the sequencing reaction product prior to filtration, followed by filtration to reduce or eliminate unincorporated dye terminators. The purified sequencing products can then be resuspended and transferred to an appropriate substrate for sequencing or further preparation. Dye blobs formed from unincorporated dye terminators no longer interfere with the electropherograms generated upon electrophoresis of the sample.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and kits for purifying a target protein group. The method comprises the steps of contacting a sample comprising at least 95% of the target protein group and at most 5% of contaminating proteins with a library of binding moieties having different binding moieties, binding the contaminating proteins and a minority of the target protein group to the library of binding moieties, separating the unbound target protein group from the proteins bound to the library of binding moieties and collecting the unbound target protein. The collected target protein is more pure than the target protein group in the sample.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the selection of aptamer sequences and aptamers identified using the method. The method comprises immobilizing a library oligonucleotide by forming a duplex with an antisense oligonucleotide, reating the duplex molecule with a target and collecting oligonucleotide molecules which dissociate from the duplex structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a library of template polynucleotides and use thereof in methods of solid-phase nucleic acid amplification. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for preparing a library of template polynucleotides that have common sequences at their 5? ends and at their 3? ends.

Abstract: A member of a specific binding pair (sbp) is identified by expressing DNA encoding a genetically diverse population of such sbp members in recombinant host cells in which the sbp members are displayed in functional form at the surface of a secreted recombinant genetic display package (rgdp) containing DNA encoding the sbp member or a polypeptide component thereof, by virtue of the sbp member or a polypeptide component thereof being expressed as a fusion with a capsid component of the rgdp. The displayed sbps may be selected by affinity with a complementary sbp member, and the DNA recovered from selected rgdps for expression of the selected sbp members. Antibody sbp members may be thus obtained, with the different chains thereof expressed, one fused to the capsid component and the other in free form for association with the fusion partner polypeptide. A phagemid may be used as an expression vector, with said capsid fusion helping to package the phagemid DNA.

Abstract: The use of azetidinone compounds that are inhibitors of cholesterol absorption as tools for discovering and characterizing proteins involved in trafficking or absorption of cholesterol and/or cholesteryl esters in biological systems is presented. These compounds can serve as tools for competitive binding assays to discover and characterize other chemical agents useful as cholesterol absorption inhibitors. New compounds of the present invention are also highly efficacious inhibitors of cholesterol absorption.

Abstract: Methods for high-throughput screening in duckweed are disclosed. In one aspect, these methods are used to identify nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides of interest. In another aspect, these methods are used to identify nucleotide sequences that modulate the expression of a target nucleotide sequence. The methods combine the predictive benefits of screening in whole plants with the speed and efficiency of a high throughput system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a protein array starting from DNA (or mRNA) in which a number of native, functional proteins, domains or peptides are produced in parallel by in in vitro synthesis using a cell free system for transcription and translation. The products are immobilised in a gridded format on a surface, using an isolation sequence tag incorporated into the proteins.

Abstract: Provided is a method of sensing biomolecules using a bioFET, the method including: forming a layer including Au on a gate of the bioFET; forming a probe immobilized on a substrate separated from the gate by a predetermined distance, and a biomolecule having a thiol group (—SH) which is incompletely bonded to the probe; reacting the probe with a sample including a target molecule; and measuring a current flowing in a channel region between a source and a drain of the bioFET.

Abstract: A method for preparing a rubbed substrate structure suitable for use in a liquid crystal assay device, includes reacting a biochemical blocking compound that includes at least one reactive group with an activated modified surface of a support, the activated modified surface of the support having at least one functional group capable of reacting with the reactive group of the biochemical blocking compound, wherein a covalent bond is formed between the biochemical blocking compound and the support producing a support with a surface comprising the biochemical blocking compound. The method also includes rubbing the surface having the biochemical blocking compound to produce a rubbed surface that possesses features that drive uniform anchoring of liquid crystals when the liquid crystals contact the rubbed surface.

Abstract: Peptide ligands having affinity for IgG or for serum albumin are disclosed. Also disclosed are hybrid molecules comprising a peptide ligand domain and an active domain. The active domain may comprise any molecule having utility as a therapeutic or diagnostic agent The hybrid molecules of the invention may be prepared using any of a number techniques including production in and purification from recombinant organisms transformed or transfected with an isolated nucleic acid encoding the hybrid molecule, or by chemical synthesis of the hybrid. The hybrid molecules have utility as agents to alter the elimination half-times of active domain molecules. Elimination half-time is altered by generating a hybrid molecule of the present invention wherein the peptide ligand has binding affinity for a plasma protein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of nucleic acid probes to identify analytes in a sample. In the preferred embodiments, metastable nucleic acid monomers are provided that associate in the presence of an initiator nucleic acid. Upon exposure to the initiator, the monomers self-assemble in a hybridization chain reaction. The initiator nucleic acid may be, for example, a portion of an analyte to be detected or may be part of an initiation trigger such that it is made available in the presence of a target analyte.

Abstract: The present invention describes a rapid and efficient in vivo library-versus-library screening strategy for identifying optimally interacting pairs of heterodimerizing polypeptides. It allows for the screening of a protein library against a second protein library and therefore finds numerous applications in the study of protein-protein interactions. Two leucine zipper libraries, semi-randomized at the positions adjacent to the hydrophobic core, were genetically fused to either one of two designed fragments of the enzyme murine dihydrofolate reductase (mDHFR), and cotransformed into E. coli. Interaction between the library polypeptides was required for reconstitution of the enzymatic activity of mDHFR, allowing bacterial growth. Using more weakly associating mDHFR fragments, we increased the stringency of selection. We applied these selection processes to a library-versus-library sample of 2.

Abstract: Methods, systems and equipment for diagnosing renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and other solid tumors. This invention identifies numerous disease genes that are differentially expressed in the peripheral blood of patients having RCC or other solid tumors relative to disease-free humans. These disease genes can be used as surrogate markers for detecting the presence or absence of RCC or other solid tumors.

Abstract: Peptide ligands having affinity for IgG or for serum albumin are disclosed. Also disclosed are hybrid molecules comprising a peptide ligand domain and an active domain. The active domain may comprise any molecule having utility as a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. The hybrid molecules of the invention may be prepared using any of a number techniques including production in and purification from recombinant organisms transformed or transfected with an isolated nucleic acid encoding the hybrid molecule, or by chemical synthesis of the hybrid. The hybrid molecules have utility as agents to alter the elimination half-times of active domain molecules. Elimination half-time is altered by generating a hybrid molecule of the present invention wherein the peptide ligand has binding affinity for a plasma protein.

Abstract: A method for high throughput screening of probes is described. These probes are useful for characterization and measurement of unbound metabolites in a fluid sample, particularly characterization and measurement of levels of unbound free fatty acids. By practice of the disclosed invention, a profile of unbound metabolites can be determined for an individual which can be used to determine the individual's relative risk for disease such as stroke, cardiac disease and cancer.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for split synthesis combinatorial chemistry that provides candidate libraries where an even distribution of theoretical products is obtainable through even mixing during the pooling step, followed by controlled redistribution of the mixed pooled products from the prior addition step into separate synthesis columns, one for each different specie of subunit to be added.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus and methods for on-chip monitoring of cellular reactions, and in particular to such an apparatus and method that enables soft-docking of cells by using a dam wall that is parallel to the direction of fluid flow. The invention further relates to an apparatus and method capable of generating a controlled concentration gradient, and in particular a concentration gradient such that the cells are aligned in the direction of the concentration gradient after docking.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and compositions utilizing Renilla green fluorescent proteins (rGFP), and Ptilosarcus green fluorescent proteins (pGFP). In particular, the invention relates to the use of Renilla GFP or Ptilosarcus GFP proteins as reporters for cell assays, particularly intracellular assays, including methods of screening libraries using rGFP or pGFP.

Abstract: The present invention relates to epilepsy. More particularly, the present invention relates to idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) and to the identification of three genes mapping to chromosome 2, which show mutations in patients with epilepsy. The invention further relates to nucleic acid sequences, and protein sequences of these loci (SCNA) and to the use thereof to assess, diagnose, prognose or treat epilepsy, to predict an epileptic individual's response to medication and to identify agents which modulate the function of the SCNA. The invention also provides screening assays using SCN1A, SCN2A and/or SCN3A which can identify compounds which have therapeutic benefit for epilepsy and related neurological disorders.