Template-directed photoligation
AssigneeAmoco Corporation
InventorsGarfield P. Royer, Larry E. Morrison, Kenneth A. Cruickshank
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, apparatus and compositions are presented for ligating ligands together which bind to a common target. One embodiment includes polynucleotide probes having photoreactive functional groups. The probes are capable of assuming substantially contiguous reactive positions on a target polynucleotide placing the photoreactive groups in juxtaposition. Activation of the photoreactive functional groups with radiant energy form a probe reaction product in which the probes are bound to each other.
Claims15
A method for ligating polynucleotide ligands which are capable of binding to substantially contiguous portions of a target molecule comprising the steps of:
- (a) contacting the target with a first polynucleotide ligand and a second polynucleotide ligand wherein said first polynucleotide ligand includes a photoreactive functional group and said second polynucleotide ligand includes a photoreactive functional group wherein said photoreactive functional groups are capable of interacting to form a covalent bond between said first and second polynucleotide ligands upon activation, and said first polynucleotide ligand and second polynucleotide ligand are capable of simultaneously binding to the target to form a target-first polynucleotide ligand-second polynucleotide ligand complex;
- and
- (b) activating the reactive functional groups to form a covalent bond between the first and second polynucleotide ligands while the first and second polynucleotide ligands are bound to the target.
A method for assaying a sample for target polynucleotide molecules comprising:
- (a) contacting the sample under binding conditions with a first polynucleotide probe and a second polynucleotide probe, wherein the first polynucleotide probe includes a photoreactive functional group and the second polynucleotide probe includes a photoreactive functional group, wherein the photoreactive functional groups are capable of interacting to form a covalent bond between the first and second polynucleotide probes upon activation when the first polynucleotide probe and second polynucleotide probe are placed in a reactive position to form a polynucleotide probe reaction product, and wherein the first polynucleotide probe and the second polynucleotide probe are capable of binding to the target molecule to form a target molecule-first polynucleotide probe-second polynucleotide probe complex;
- (b) subjecting the sample in the presence of the first polynucleotide probe and the second polynucleotide probe to radiant energy to form the polynucleotide probe reaction product;
- and
- (c) monitoring the sample for the presence of the polynucleotide probe reaction product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.