Method for determining telomere length and its use for assessing age
OwnerPeter Lahnertinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Age or expectation of life is assessed by determining the length of the telomeres by a blot method and, optionally, by subsequently hybridizing the DNA gel-electrophoretically separated and bound to the membrane obtained through the blot method by means of a nucleic acid probe complementary to the telomeric sequence, and subjecting the specimen DNA to a full restriction digestion containing the telomeric DNA prior to the gel-electrophoretic separation, wherein the separation of the digested DNA in the gel-electrophoresis underlying the blot method takes place at <5 V/cm and for the duration of at least 6 hours.
Claims12
A method of assessing the age or expectation of life wherein the length of the telomeres is determined by a blot method and, optionally, by subsequently hybridizing the DNA gel-electrophoretically separated and bound to the membrane obtained through the blot method by means of a nucleic acid probe complementary to the telomeric sequence, and wherein the specimen DNA containing the telomeric DNA prior to the gel-electrophoretic separation is subjected to a full restriction digestion, characterized in that the separation of the digested DNA in the gel-electrophoresis underlying the blot method takes place at
- (a) <5 V/cm, and
- (b) for the duration of at least 6 hours.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.