Mass-spectrometric method carried out on samples containing nucleic acids
AssigneesBioSpring Gesellschaft für Biotechnologie mbH, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
InventorsHuseyin Aygün, Michael Karas, Ute Bahr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a mass spectrometric method for the detection and for the quantification of double stranded nucleic acids which are not covalently associated with one another.
Claims18
A method for determining at least one property parameter of a sample which contains at least one nucleic acid, the property parameter being selected from the group consisting of double strand amount of the sample, ratio of single strands to double strands in the sample, and excess of a single strand with respect to a second single strand in the sample, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) adding a standard to a sample containing at least one nucleic acid;
- (b) establishing a mass spectrum of the sample containing the standard under native conditions, said mass spectrum including at least one peak attributable to said at least one nucleic acid;
- (c) establishing a mass spectrum of the sample containing the standard under denaturing conditions, said mass spectrum including at least one peak attributable to said at least one nucleic acid;
- (d) comparing the peak height or peak area of the at least one peak attributable to the nucleic acid in the mass spectrum from step (b) with the peak height or peak area of the corresponding peak in the mass spectrum from step (c) to determine a property parameter of said sample.
A method of preparing a sample which contains at least one nucleic acid for mass spectrometry, said method comprising the step of adding formic acid to said sample so as denaturize the at least one nucleic acid in the sample, wherein said formic acid is added in an amount such that it is available in a concentration of 10-30% by weight of the sample.
A method of preparing a sample matrix for MALDI mass spectrometry, said method comprising the step of adding a mixture of 6-aza-2-thiothymine (ATT) and diammonium hydrogen citrate (DAHC) to the sample matrix for the MALDI mass spectrometry, wherein the DAHC used is in a concentration of 50-250 mM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.