Detecting molecules
AssigneeMacquarie University
InventorMark S. Baker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are processes to increase the relative abundance of a molecule that is present in a test sample at relatively low abundance. The process includes fractionating a sample and immunizing hosts with the fractions. The antibodies produced from the fractionated test sample are directed primarily to molecules that are in relatively high abundance in the test sample fractions. These antibodies are then contacted with the test sample or a test sample to immuno-deplete relatively high abundance molecules from the sample to form a first depleted sample. These steps can be repeated a reiterative process of immuno-subtraction to produce second and third depleted samples where the relative abundance of the “low abundance” molecule is increased.
Claims25
A process for increasing the relative abundance of a molecule having a low relative abundance in a test sample including:
- a) fractionating all or a portion of a test sample which includes molecules of high and low relative abundance according to a property of the molecules of the test sample, to form at least two fractions of the test sample;
- b) providing a population of hosts for producing a group of antibodies for binding to molecules of the test sample that have a high relative abundance in each fraction of the test sample;
- c) introducing each fraction of the test sample into a host of the population so that each host of the population receives one of the fractions of the test sample, to produce the group of antibodies;
- d) contacting the group of antibodies produced in step c) with the test sample or a test sample,
- wherein the antibodies deplete molecules from the test sample or a test sample to produce a first depleted sample having an increased relative abundance of a molecule having a low relative abundance in the test sample or a test sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.