Mass spectrometric detection of polypeptides
AssigneeSequenom, Inc.
InventorsDaniel Little, Hubert Köster, G. Scott Higgins, David Lough
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for determining the identity of a target polypeptide using mass spectroscopy is provided. Depending on the target polypeptide to be identified, a process as disclosed can be used, for example, to diagnose a genetic disease or chromosomal abnormality, a predisposition to a disease or condition, or infection by a pathogenic organism; or for determining identity or heredity. Kits for performing the disclosed processes also are provided.
Claims38
A method for screening for or identifying a subject having or predisposed to a disease or condition, comprising:
- a) obtaining a biological sample containing a target nucleic acid from the subject and preparing a polypeptide therefrom;
- b) determining the molecular mass of the polypeptide by mass spectrometry;
- c) comparing the molecular mass of the polypeptide with the molecular mass of a corresponding known polypeptide, thereby determining the identity of the polypeptide, wherein:
- the nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide is a marker for the disease or condition.
A process for determining the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide of interest using mass spectrometry, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting the polypeptide of interest with an agent that cleaves an amino acid from a terminus of the polypeptide to produce a cleaved amino acid and a deletion fragment;
- b) subjecting the cleaved amino acid or the deletion fragment to mass spectrometry;
- and
- c) repeating step a) and step b), as necessary, thereby determining the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide.
A process for determining the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide of interest using mass spectrometry, comprising the steps of:
- a) producing a nested set of deletion fragments of the polypeptide;
- and
- b) subjecting the deletion fragments to mass spectrometry, thereby determining the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide.
A process for determining the amino acid sequence of each poly ptide in a plurality of polypeptides using mass spectroscopy, comprising the steps of:
- a) differentially mass modifying each polypeptide in the plurality to produce differentially mass modified polypeptides;
- b) contacting the differentially mass modified polypeptides with an agent that cleaves an amino acid from a terminus of the polypeptides to produce a cleaved amino acid and a deletion fragment;
- c) subjecting the cleaved amino acid or the deletion fragment to mass spectrometry;
- and
- d) repeating step b) and step c), as necessary, thereby determining the amino acid sequence of each polypeptide in the plurality.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.