Patents by Inventor Sydney Brenner

Sydney Brenner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6969488
    Abstract: An apparatus and system are provided for simultaneously analyzing a plurality of analytes anchored to microparticles. Microparticles each having a uniform population of a single kind of analyte attached are disposed as a substantially immobilized planar array inside of a flow chamber where steps of an analytical process are carried out by delivering a sequence of processing reagents to the microparticles by a fluidic system under microprocessor control. In response to such process steps, an optical signal is generated at the surface of each microparticle which is characteristic of the interaction between the analyte carried by the microparticle and the delivered processing reagent. The plurality of analytes are simultaneously analyzed by collecting and recording images of the optical signals generated by all the microparticles in the planar array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Solexa, Inc.
    Inventors: John Bridgham, Kevin Corcoran, George Golda, Sydney Brenner, Michael C. Pallas
  • Publication number: 20050181408
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for sorting polynucleotides from a population based on predetermined sequence characteristics. In one aspect, the method of the invention is carried out by extending a primer annealed polynucleotides having predetermined sequence characteristics to incorporate a predetermined terminator having a capture moiety, capturing polynucleotides having extended primers by a capture agent that specifically binds to the capture moiety, and melting the captured polynucleotides from the extended primers to form a subpopulation of polynucleotides having the predetermined sequence characteristics. In another aspect, the method of the invention is carried out on a population of tagged polynucleotides so that after a subpopulation is selected, the members of the subpopulation may be simultaneously analyzed using the unique tags on the polynucleotides to convey analytical information to a hybridization array for a readout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Inventor: Sydney Brenner
  • Patent number: 6897023
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for identifying nucleic acid sequences which are of different abundances in different nucleic acid source populations, e.g. differentially expressed genes or genomic variations among individuals or populations of individuals. In one embodiment, probes derived from the source nucleic acid populations are derivatized with a terminal sample ID (SID) sequence characteristic of that population. Upon competitive hybridization of the probes to a reference or index nucleic acid library containing all the sequences in the populations being compared, the SID tags remain single stranded, and those from the different sources are then annealed to one another. Unhybridized (remainder) SID sequences are then quantified. By labeling such remainder SID sequences with a fluorescent dye, FACS sorting of beads containing the hybridized probes can be carried out. The signal ratio upon which such sorting is based is enhanced compared to competitive hybridization using labeled probes without SID sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignees: The Molecular Sciences Institute, Inc., Solexa, Inc.
    Inventors: Rongdian Fu, Sydney Brenner, Glenn Albrecht
  • Patent number: 6884612
    Abstract: Lambdoid phage comprising a matrix of proteins encapsulating a genome encoding first and second polypeptides of an autogenously assembling receptor and a receptor comprised of the first and second polypeptides surface-integrated into the matrix via a lambdoid phage tail protein matrix anchor domain fused to at least one of the polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: The Scripps Research Institute
    Inventors: Ichiro Maruyama, Hiroko Maruyama, Sydney Brenner
  • Publication number: 20050059065
    Abstract: The invention provides a system and reagents for carrying out multiplexed analytical measurements using the hybridization of oligonucleotide tags to addressable solid phase supports to obtain simultaneous readouts from hundreds to tens of thousands of reactions. In one aspect of the invention, analyte interaction moieties, such as oligonucleotide probes, are produced that are each labeled with a unique synthesis tag constructed from a set of two-nucleotide “words.” During or after an assay, the synthesis tags are converted to hybridization tags that are used in the readout step. Hybridization tags are constructed to maximize discrimination in the readout. Hybridization tags of the invention are preferably constructed from oligonucleotide “words” selected from a minimally cross-hybridizing set using combinatorial synthesis techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventor: Sydney Brenner
  • Patent number: 6831994
    Abstract: An apparatus and system are provided for simultaneously analyzing a plurality of analytes anchored to microparticles. Microparticles each having a uniform population of a single kind of analyte attached are disposed as a substantially immobilized planar array inside of a flow chamber where steps of an analytical process are carried out by delivering a sequence of processing reagents to the microparticles by a fluidic system under microprocessor control. In response to such process steps, an optical signal is generated at the surface of each microparticle which is characteristic of the interaction between the analyte carried by the microparticle and the delivered processing reagent. The plurality of analytes are simultaneously analyzed by collecting and recording images of the optical signals generated by all the microparticles in the planar array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Lynx Therapeutics, inc.
    Inventors: John Bridgham, Kevin Corcoran, George Golda, Michael C. Pallas, Sydney Brenner
  • Patent number: 6806052
    Abstract: An apparatus and system are provided for simultaneously analyzing a plurality of analytes anchored to microparticles. Microparticles each having a uniform population of a single kind of analyte attached are disposed as a substantially immobilized planar array inside of a flow chamber where steps of an analytical process are carried out by delivering a sequence of processing reagents to the microparticles by a fluidic system under microprocessor control. In response to such process steps, an optical signal is generated at the surface of each microparticle which is characteristic of the interaction between the analyte carried by the microparticle and the delivered processing reagent. The plurality of analytes are simultaneously analyzed by collecting and recording images of the optical signals generated by all the microparticles in the planar array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: John Bridgham, Kevin P. Corcoran, George S. Golda, Michael C. Pallas, Sydney Brenner
  • Publication number: 20040038247
    Abstract: An isolated nucleic acid is disclosed, including a promoter sequence being transcriptionally functional in a T-lymphocyte undergoing activation and transcriptionally less functional in the T-lymphocyte prior to the activation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Yin Hwee Tan, Sydney Brenner, Byrappa Venkatesh
  • Publication number: 20040038283
    Abstract: Method and materials are provided for screening for genetic polymorphism in a test population of DNA fragments. Heteroduplexes are formed between members a test DNA population and their corresponding complements from a reference DNA population. Perfectly matched heteroduplexes are destroyed or separated from those containing mismatched sequences. Preferably, perfectly matched heteroduplexes are digested by a single stranded exonuclease which requires double stranded DNA as a substrate, such as E. coli exonuclease III. Amplicons are formed from mismatched heteroduplexes, preferably by extending the partially digested duplexes after treatment with exonuclease III followed by PCR amplification. The resulting amplicons are inserted into a cloning vector which is used to transform a bacterial host. After host cells are plated and allowed to form colonies, clones are picked and sequenced to identify DNA fragments containing polymorphic sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Applicant: Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventor: Sydney Brenner
  • Publication number: 20040002104
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for producing solid phase cloned libraries of oligonucleotide tag-DNA signature sequence constructs, in which the DNA signature components are all of the same length. Such libraries are especially useful for large-scale parallel sequencing of DNA signature sequences prepared from a source population, such as mRNA or genomic DNA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventors: Achim Fischer, Holger Hiemisch, Steven Williams, Sydney Brenner, Roger Walker, Eric Vermaas, Rongdian Fu
  • Patent number: 6653077
    Abstract: Method and materials are provided for screening for genetic polymorphism in a test population of DNA fragments. Heteroduplexes are formed between members of a test DNA population and their corresponding complements from a reference DNA population. Perfectly matched heteroduplexes are destroyed or separated from those containing mismatched sequences. Preferably, perfectly matched heteroduplexes are digested by a single stranded exonuclease which requires double stranded DNA as a substrate, such as E. coli exonuclease III. Amplicons are formed from mismatched heteroduplexes, preferably by extending the partially digested duplexes after treatment with exonuclease III followed by PCR amplification. The resulting amplicons are inserted into a cloning vector which is used to transform a bacterial host. After host cells are plated and allowed to form colonies, clones are picked and sequenced to identify DNA fragments containing polymorphic sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventor: Sydney Brenner
  • Patent number: 6654505
    Abstract: An apparatus and system are provided for simultaneously analyzing a plurality of analytes anchored to microparticles. Microparticles each having a uniform population of a single kind of analyte attached are disposed as a substantially immobilized planar array inside a flow chamber where steps of an analytical process are carried out by delivering a sequence of processing reagents to the microparticles by a fluidic system under microprocessor control. In response to such process steps, an optical signal is generated at the surface of each microparticle which is characteristic of the interaction between the analyte carried by the microparticle and the delivered processing reagent. The plurality of analytes are simultaneously analyzed by collecting and recording images of the optical signals generated by all the microparticles in the planar array. A key feature of the invention is the correlation of the sequence of optical signals generated by each microparticle in the planar array during the analytical process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: John Bridgham, Kevin Corcoran, George Golda, Michael C. Pallas, Sydney Brenner
  • Publication number: 20030077615
    Abstract: Abstract An apparatus and system are provided for simultaneously analyzing a plurality of analytes anchored to microparticles. Microparticles each having a uniform population of a single kind of analyte attached are disposed as a substantially immobilized planar array inside of a flow chamber where steps of an analytical process are carried out by delivering a sequence of processing reagents to the microparticles by a fluidic system under microprocessor control. In response to such process steps, an optical signal is generated at the surface of each microparticle which is characteristic of the interaction between the analyte carried by the microparticle and the delivered processing reagent. The plurality of analytes are simultaneously analyzed by collecting and recording images of the optical signals generated by all the microparticles in the planar array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: John Bridgham, Kevin P. Corcoran, George S. Golda, Michael C. Pallas, Sydney Brenner
  • Publication number: 20030049616
    Abstract: The invention provides oligonucleotide tag compositions and methods for synthesizing repertoires of error-free oligonucleotide tags that may be used for labeling and sorting polynucleotides, such as cDNAs, restriction fragments, and the like. In accordance with the method of the invention, oligonucleotide tag precursors are provided in an amplicon, wherein the tag precursors each consists of one or more oligonucleotide “words” selected from the same minimally cross-hybridizing set of words. The oligonucleotide tag precursors are elongated by repeated cycles of cleavage, ligation of one or more words, and amplification. Cycles continue until the oligonucleotide tags of the repertoire have a desired length or complexity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Sydney Brenner, Steven R. Williams
  • Publication number: 20030032020
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and materials for generating a reference library of restriction fragments from pooled nucleic acids that contain a sequence polymorphism. An important aspect of the invention is the use of the reference population of restriction fragments to compare the frequencies of polymorphic sequences between different population pools. Such comparisons may be accomplished by competitively hybridizing DNA from the respective pools which has been enriched for the presence of a restriction site polymorphism with DNA from the reference population. Preferably, such competitive hybridization reactions are carried out on the reference library attached to one or more solid phase supports. Most preferably, members of the reference library are attached to individual microparticles so that each microparticle has a unique fragment attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventor: Sydney Brenner
  • Patent number: 6518023
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for constructing a high resolution physical map of a polynucleotide. In accordance with the invention, the polynucleotide is digested successively with at least two different restriction endonucleases and the ends of the restriction fragments are sequenced after each digestion. In this manner, restriction fragments having sequenced ends are produced that can be aligned by their sequences to give a physical map of the polynucleotide. Preferably, restriction fragment ends are sequenced by massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS), or a like parallel sequencing technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventor: Sydney Brenner
  • Publication number: 20030027157
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for identifying nucleic acid sequences which are of different abundances in different nucleic acid source populations, e.g. differentially expressed genes or genomic variations among individuals or populations of individuals. In one embodiment, probes derived from the source nucleic acid populations are derivatized with a terminal sample ID (SID) sequence characteristic of that population. Upon competitive hybridization of the probes to a reference or index nucleic acid library containing all the sequences in the populations being compared, the SID tags remain single stranded, and those from the different sources are then annealed to one another. Unhybridized (remainder) SID sequences are then quantified. By labeling such remainder SID sequences with a fluorescent dye, FACS sorting of beads containing the hybridized probes can be carried out. The signal ratio upon which such sorting is based is enhanced compared to competitive hybridization using labeled probes without SID sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventors: Rongdian Fu, Sydney Brenner, Glenn Albrecht
  • Patent number: 6511802
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and materials for monitoring and isolating differentially expressed genes. In accordance with the method of the invention, differently labeled populations of DNAs from sources to be compared are competitively hybridized with reference DNA cloned on solid phase supports, e.g. microparticles, to provide a differential expression library which, in the preferred embodiment, may be manipulated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Monitoring the relative signal intensity of the different fluorescent labels on the microparticles permits quantitative analysis of expression levels relative to the reference DNA. The invention also provides a method for identifying and isolating rare genes. Populations of microparticles having relative signal intensities of interest can be isolated by FACS and the attached DNAs identified by sequencing, such as with massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS), or with conventional DNA sequencing protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Albrecht, Sydney Brenner, Robert B. DuBridge
  • Publication number: 20020137052
    Abstract: An apparatus and system are provided for simultaneously analyzing a plurality of analytes anchored to microparticles. Microparticles each having a uniform population of a single kind of analyte attached are disposed as a substantially immobilized planar array inside of a flow chamber where steps of an analytical process are carried out by delivering a sequence of processing reagents to the microparticles by a fluidic system under microprocessor control. In response to such process steps, an optical signal is generated at the surface of each microparticle which is characteristic of the interaction between the analyte carried by the microparticle and the delivered processing reagent The plurality of analytes are simultaneously analyzed by collecting and recording images of the optical signals generated by all the microparticles in the planar array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: John Bridgham, Kevin P. Corcoran, George S. Golda, Sydney Brenner, Michael C. Pallas
  • Publication number: 20020110802
    Abstract: Lambdoid phage comprising a matrix of proteins encapsulating a genome encoding first and second polypeptides of an autogenously assembling receptor and a receptor comprised of the first and second polypeptides surface-integrated into the matrix via a lambdoid phage tail protein matrix anchor domain fused to at least one of the polypeptides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 1997
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: ICHIRO MARUYAMA, HIROKO MARUYAMA, SYDNEY BRENNER