Abstract: The invention provides a method of marking an item with naturally-derived or synthetic non-natural polymeric marker molecules, such as a DNA or Peptide marker in conjunction with optional visible or rapid scan reporters for authenticating or tracking, in which the method includes providing an item for marking, and applying a medium including a DNA marker to the item. The invention further provides methods for stably binding and immobilizing activated deoxyribonucleic acid onto objects and substrates. The method includes exposing the deoxyribonucleic acid to alkaline conditions, and contacting the deoxyribonucleic acid to the object or substrate. Also provided are methods for increasing the recoverability of taggants from an object.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a textile material that is initiated by selecting a unique nucleic acid marker having a specific length and a specific sequence. A media that causes the unique nucleic acid marker to adhere to a fibrous material is then selected. The method then proceeds to generate a nucleic acid marker mixture by mixing the media with the nucleic acid marker. The nucleic acid marker mixture is then applied to the fibrous material. A marked fibrous material is produced by marking the fibrous material with the nucleic acid marker. The textile material is manufactured with the marked fibrous material. The textile material is then authenticated by detecting the unique nucleic acid marker with primers that are specific to the unique nucleic acid. In an alternative embodiment, the media is used as a topical treatment for the fibrous material.

Abstract: A verifiably identifiable object that includes a primary taggant encoding a readable encrypted first identifier of the object encrypted by a first method and a secondary taggant encoding a readable encrypted second identifier of the object optionally encrypted by a second method. The primary taggant can be a physical identification taggant, such as DNA including an authentication sequence, and the secondary taggant can be a digital identification taggant. The digital identification taggant encodes information validating the physical identification taggant, such as by referencing information embodied in the physical taggant, e.g. the defined sequence within the DNA. Also included is a method and system for identification and/or authentication of an object that includes a primary taggant encoding a readable encrypted first identifier of the object encrypted by a first method and a secondary taggant encoding a readable encrypted second identifier of the object encrypted by a second method.

Abstract: Provided are a method and device for marking an article for security, tracking or authentication. The method includes depositing a solution comprising a nucleic acid marker onto at least a portion of the article. The nucleic acid marker may be activated, for example, by adding a functional group to the nucleic acid marker. The activation of the nucleic acid marker may be performed by exposure to alkaline conditions. The method is well suited for marking fibers and textiles, as well as many other items.

Abstract: Methods for distinguishing between cotton species by analyzing a sample of mature cotton fibers from raw cotton materials or from textile goods are disclosed. DNA is extracted from the mature cotton fiber sample and subjected to PCR techniques which enable the identification of the species of cotton utilized in the textile or cotton material of interest.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition including DNA bonded to a plasma-treated surface, the plasma can be any suitable plasma, such as an argon plasma, a compressed air plasma, a flame-based plasma or a vacuum plasma. Surfaces treatable by the methods of the invention include ceramic, metal, fabric and organic polymer surfaces. The DNA can be any DNA, such as a marker DNA, which can be linear or circular, single-stranded or double stranded and from about 25 bases to about 10,000 bases in length. Also provided is a method of binding DNA to a surface, including the steps of exposing the surface to a plasma to produce a plasma-treated surface; and applying DNA to the plasma-treated surface to produce surface bound DNA on the treated surface.

Abstract: A method of marking an inventory item includes providing an activatable smoke generator and a reservoir for holding a smoke fluid and adapted to provide a flow of smoke fluid to the generator. The reservoir contains a smoke fluid including a carrier nucleic acid having a uniquely identifiable sequence, and upon activation of the smoke generator, marker smoke is generated and targeted to flow over the inventory item. The method further includes activating the smoke generator to produce the marker smoke including the carrier nucleic acid so as to cause the marker smoke to flow over the inventory item and thereby to detectably mark the inventory item with carrier nucleic acid.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for increasing the recoverability of taggants from an object. The methods include the steps of incorporating a taggant into a solution; mixing the solution including the taggant with a perturbant to form a first perturbant taggant solution; mixing the first perturbant taggant solution with a polymer to form a second perturbant taggant polymer solution; and applying the second perturbant taggant polymer solution to at least a portion of the object to form a taggant-coated object. Methods for authentication of a taggant marked object are also provided.

Abstract: Methods for authenticating an article with a cyanoacrylate solution comprising a water soluble security marker compound are described. The methods for producing a nucleophilic security marker/cyanoacrylate solution as well as methods for labeling an item and detecting the nucleophilic security marker/cyanoacrylate from an item being authenticated are also described. A method for using a nucleophilic cyanoacrylate security marker for antitheft purposes is also described.

Abstract: A method of marking a solid article or substance includes the steps of dissolving a water-insoluble medium in a first solvent to form a first mixture, mixing a nucleic acid solution with an intermediate solution to form a second mixture, mixing the second mixture with the first mixture to form a homogenous third mixture, marking the article or substance with the third mixture containing the nucleic acid; and drying the marked article or substance. Through the addition of an intermediate solution, the miscibility between the nucleic acid solution and the medium is increased and a homogenous solution is formed. For marking solid substances or articles, the water-insoluble medium containing known nucleic acid taggants is spread on the target solid substances or articles. For marking liquid, the target liquid is mixed with the water-insoluble media containing known nucleic acid taggants. As a result, the target liquid is labeled with nucleic acid.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a textile material that is initiated by selecting a unique nucleic acid marker having a specific length and a specific sequence. A media that causes the unique nucleic acid marker to adhere to a fibrous material is then selected. The method then proceeds to generate a nucleic acid marker mixture by mixing the media with the nucleic acid marker. The nucleic acid marker mixture is then applied to the fibrous material. A marked fibrous material is produced by marking the fibrous material with the nucleic acid marker. The textile material is manufactured with the marked fibrous material. The textile material is then authenticated by detecting the unique nucleic acid marker with primers that are specific to the unique nucleic acid. In an alternative embodiment, the media is used as a topical treatment for the fibrous material.

Abstract: Disclosed are nucleic acid based encryption technique and the corresponding decryption method. The encryption method comprises the steps of dividing an original nucleic acid sequence corresponding to a predefined message according to a predetermined cipher table into a plurality of fragmented nucleic acid sequences, ligating the fragmented nucleotide sequences with oligomers for sequence analysis and oligomers for sequence recognition. The corresponding decryption method comprises the steps of using the corresponding PCR primers and sequencing primers to determine the sequence information of the fragmented nucleotide sequences, combining with the information provided by oligomers for order arrangement to decode the original nucleotide sequence. This multiple encryption method can provide more security to a predefined message desired to keep confidential.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of marking solid or liquid substances with nucleic acid for anti-counterfeiting and authentication, specifically to a method for marking solid or liquid substances with nucleic acid dissolved in a water insoluble medium. Through the addition of an intermediate solution, the miscibility between the nucleic acid solution and the medium is increased and forms a homogenous solution. For marking solid substances or articles, the water-insoluble medium containing known nucleic acid taggants is spread on the target solid substances or articles. After drying, nucleic acids protected by the water-insoluble medium adhere on surface of the object. For marking liquid, the target liquid is mixed with the water-insoluble media containing known nucleic acid taggants. As a result, the target liquid is labeled with nucleic acid.

Abstract: This invention features a method of labeling objects for anti-counterfeit purpose, especially refers to a method employing ribonucleic acid for product anti-counterfeit labeling and authenticity verification by PCR method. The procedure involves label objects with medium which contains ribonucleic acid. For verification of authenticity, the medium is removed and extracted for ribonucleic acid which is then amplified by PCR method for comparison.