Abstract: Described is a method for screening an encoded chemical library, which library comprises a plurality of different chemical structures each releasably linked to an encoding tag, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing said library of tagged chemical structures; (b) releasing each chemical structure from its tag to produce a plurality of free, tagless chemical structures (TCSs); (c) screening the TCSs by contacting them with a assay system under conditions whereby a spatial association between each TCS and its tag is maintained, to produce a plurality of different screened TCSs each spatially associated with its tag; and (d) identifying a screened TCS by decoding a tag that is spatially associated therewith.

Abstract: Disclosed is an encoded chemical library microbead, which microbead has immobilized thereon and/or therein: (i) an encoding tag; and (ii) a target assay system reporter moiety, wherein the reporter moiety exists in a first state in the absence of activity against the target and in a second state in the presence of said activity, and wherein said microbead further comprises a clonal population of one or more chemical structure(s) releasably linked thereto and encoded by said tag.

Abstract: Described is a method for screening an encoded chemical library, which library comprises a plurality of different chemical structures each releasably linked to an encoding tag, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing said library of tagged chemical structures; (b) releasing each chemical structure from its tag to produce a plurality of free, tagless chemical structures (TCSs); (c) screening the TCSs by contacting them with a assay system under conditions whereby a spatial association between each TCS and its tag is maintained, to produce a plurality of different screened TCSs each spatially associated with its tag; and (d) identifying a screened TCS by decoding a tag that is spatially associated therewith.

Abstract: Described is a method for identifying a gene which mediates antibiotic sensitivity or resistance in a target bacterium, the method comprising the steps of: (a) generating a pool of mutant target bacteria by transposon mutagenesis with an activating transposon (TnA), wherein the TnA comprises an outward-facing promoter (TnAP) capable of increasing transcription of a gene at or near its insertion site in the DNA of said target cells; (b) generating a control microdroplet library by encapsulating individual members of the pool of step (a) in microdroplets, the microdroplets comprising a volume of aqueous growth media suspended in an immiscible carrier liquid, each microdroplet comprising a single mutant target cell; (c)generating a test microdroplet library by encapsulating individual members of the pool of step (a) in microdroplets, the microdroplets comprising a volume of aqueous growth media containing the antibiotic and suspended in an immiscible carrier liquid, each microdroplet comprising a single mutant t

Abstract: Described is a method for identifying a gene which mediates antibiotic sensitivity or resistance in a target bacterium, the method comprising the steps of: (a) generating a pool of mutant target bacteria by transposon mutagenesis with an activating transposon (TnA), wherein the TnA comprises an outward-facing promoter (TnAP) capable of increasing transcription of a gene at or near its insertion site in the DNA of said target cells; (b) generating a control microdroplet library by encapsulating individual members of the pool of step (a) in microdroplets, the microdroplets comprising a volume of aqueous growth media suspended in an immiscible carrier liquid, each microdroplet comprising a single mutant target cell; (c)generating a test microdroplet library by encapsulating individual members of the pool of step (a) in microdroplets, the microdroplets comprising a volume of aqueous growth media containing the antibiotic and suspended in an immiscible carrier liquid, each microdroplet comprising a single mutant t

Abstract: Describe is a method for screening mutant prokaryotic cells to identify producers of a cytotoxic agent active against a target cell, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing cells of a producer prokaryotic species; (b) generating a pool of mutant producer cells by transposon mutagenesis of the cells of step (a) with an activating transposon (TnA), wherein the TnA comprises an outward-facing promoter (TnAP) capable of increasing transcription of a gene at or near its insertion site in the DNA of said producer cells; (c) co-encapsulating individual members of the pool of step (b) with one or more target cells in microdroplets, the microdroplets comprising a volume of aqueous growth media suspended in an immiscible carrier liquid, thereby generating a library of microdroplets each comprising a single mutant producer cell and one or more target cell(s); (d) incubating the microdroplet library of step (c) under conditions suitable for co-culture of the single mutant producer cell and target cell(s) to pro

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for characterizing the effect of an antibiotic on a bacterium, the method comprising the steps of: (a) generating a pool of mutant bacteria by transposon mutagenesis of a culture of said bacterium with an activating transposon (TnA) which comprises an outward-facing promoter (TnAP) capable of increasing transcription of a gene at or near its insertion site in the DNA of said bacterium; (b) growing bacteria from the mutant pool in the presence of different amounts of said antibiotic to produce two or more test cultures; (c) sequencing mRNA transcripts produced by TnAP in each of said test cultures to produce an mRNA transcript profile for each of the test cultures; and (d) comparing the mRNA transcript profiles of the test cultures.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a mutant bacterium which exhibits improved survival and/or growth under a selected growth condition, the process comprising the steps of: (a) generating a pool of mutant bacteria by transposon mutagenesis with an activating transposon (TnA), wherein the TnA comprises an outward-facing promoter (TnAP) capable of increasing transcription of a gene at or near its insertion site in the DNA of said bacterium; (b) growing bacteria from the mutant pool under the selected growth condition and under one or more reference conditions to produce two or more test cultures; and (c) sequencing mRNA transcripts produced by TnAP in each of said test cultures to produce an mRNA transcript profile for each of the test cultures; and (d) comparing the mRNA transcript profiles of the test cultures to identify a first class of genes which are disadvantageous for growth and/or survival under the selected growth condition and a second class of genes which are advantageous for growth and/or surviva