# US 8,783,194 B2 · Marking apparatus for nucleic acid marking of items > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,194 B2 - Document ID: US8783194B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/508,416 - Filed: 2003-03-21 - Published: 2006-06-08 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2002-03-22 - Assignees: Trace Tag International Limited; 3SI Security Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Robert Sleat; Greg Van Lint - Inventors: Robert Sleat; Greg Van Lint - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783194B2 ## CPC - E05G 1/14: with means for masking or destroying the valuables, e.g. in case of theft - D21H 21/46: Elements suited for chemical verification or impeding chemical tampering, e.g. by use of eradicators - C12Q 1/68: involving nucleic acids - E05G: SAFES OR STRONG-ROOMS FOR VALUABLES; BANK PROTECTION DEVICES; SAFETY TRANSACTION PARTITIONS ({devices to prevent theft of bags, trunks or baskets A45C13/18;} alarm arrangements per se G08B) - D21H: PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES ## Abstract A marking apparatus (1) for marking an item (12). The apparatus comprises: means to receive the item; a nucleic acid marker; means to release a marking fluid (8); and a distribution mechanism (11) coupled to the nucleic acid marker and the means to release the marking fluid. The means to release the marking fluid can be activated to release the marking fluid such that the distribution mechanism disperses a mixture of the nucleic acid marker and the marking fluid onto the item. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A storage system comprising a plurality of marking apparatuses for marking an item, wherein each marking apparatus comprises: means to receive the item; a nucleic acid marker; means to release a visibly staining marking fluid; and a distribution mechanism coupled to the nucleic acid marker and the means to release the visibly staining marking fluid, the means to release the visibly staining marking fluid being activatable to release the visibly staining marking fluid such that the distribution mechanism disperses a mixture of the nucleic acid marker and the visibly staining marking fluid onto the item, wherein each nucleic acid marker has a variable region of at least twelve nucleotides in length flanked by a first generic region and a second generic region, the first and second generic regions being the same in each nucleic acid marker of each marking apparatus and the variable region being different in the nucleic acid marker of each marking apparatus, the variable region of each nucleic acid marker containing no consecutively repeated nucleotides. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A storage system according to claim 1, wherein each item is one or more bank notes, each means to release the marking fluid being activatable to release the visibly staining marking fluid such that the mixture of the nucleic acid marker and the visibly staining marking fluid is dispersed onto the one or more bank notes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A storage system according to claim 2, wherein each marking apparatus is an automated teller machine cassette. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A storage system according to claim 1, wherein each means to release the visibly staining marking fluid comprises a marking fluid reservoir of visibly staining marking fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A storage system according to claim 4, wherein the visibly staining marking fluid comprises an indelible ink. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A storage system according to claim 5, wherein the nucleic acid marker is mixed in with the indelible ink. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A storage system according to claim 6, wherein each marking apparatus further comprises a nucleic acid reservoir containing the nucleic acid marker, the nucleic acid reservoir being coupled to the distribution mechanism such that when the marking fluid reservoir is activated, the distribution mechanism mixes the visibly staining marking fluid and the nucleic acid marker. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A storage system according to claim 1, wherein each means to release the visibly staining marking fluid comprises one or more smoke pellets, the visibly staining marking fluid comprising smoke. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A storage system according to claim 8, wherein the means to release the visibly staining marking fluid and the distribution mechanism of each marking apparatus comprises a pyrotechnic device containing the one or more smoke pellets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A storage system according to claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid marker comprises a plurality of single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A storage system according to claim 1, wherein each marking apparatus further comprises a detector connected to the means to release the visibly staining marking fluid, the detector activating the means to release the visibly staining marking fluid in response to detecting tampering with the marking apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A storage system according to claim 1, wherein each marking apparatus further comprises a plurality of carrier particles to which the nucleic acid marker is attached. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A storage system according to claim 12, wherein the carrier particles are made from a polymer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A storage system according to claim 12, wherein the carrier particles are made from an inorganic compound. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A storage system according to claim 12, wherein the nucleic acid marker is attached to the carrier particles via a covalent bond. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A storage system according to claim 15, wherein each nucleic acid marker molecule is bonded to a linker molecule, the linker molecule having a covalent bond to a carrier particle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A storage system marking apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the linker molecule is a C12-C16 alkyl group. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A storage system according to claim 12, wherein the nucleic acid marker is attached to the carrier particles via ionic interactions or passive adsorption. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) A storage system according to claim 12, further comprising a fluorescent label attached to each of the carrier particles. ### Claim 20 A method of security marking an item with a marking apparatus in response to detecting tampering with the marking apparatus comprising the steps of: providing a mixture of a nucleic acid marker and a visibly staining marker fluid; and dispersing the mixture onto the item, wherein each nucleic acid marker of the mixture has a variable region of at least twelve nucleotides in length flanked by a first generic region and a second generic region, the first and second generic regions being the same in each nucleic acid marker and the variable region being different in the nucleic acid marker of the marking apparatus compared to that of another marking apparatus, wherein the variable region of each nucleic acid marker contains no consecutively repeated nucleotides, and wherein the item is a bank note or similar valuable item. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of identifying the nucleic acid marker. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) A method according to claim 20, further comprising, prior to providing the mixture of the nucleic acid marker and the visibly staining marker fluid, selecting the nucleic acid marker from a pool of nucleic acid markers, each nucleic acid marker in the pool having a respective variable region flanked by a first generic region and a second generic region, the first and second generic regions being the same in each of the nucleic acid markers in the pool and the variable region being different in each nucleic acid marker in the pool. ### Claim 23 A method of analyzing an item that has been rendered unusable by being marked with a marking apparatus by a visibly staining marker fluid and a nucleic acid marker, comprising the step of identifying the nucleic acid marker; wherein the nucleic acid marker has a variable region of at least twelve nucleotides in length flanked by a first generic region and a second generic region, the first and second generic regions being the same in the nucleic acid marker and the variable region being different in the nucleic acid marker of the marking apparatus compared to that of another marking apparatus, wherein the variable region of each nucleic acid marker contains no consecutively repeated nucleotides, and wherein the item is a bank note or similar valuable item. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21, 23) A method according to claim 21 or 23 wherein the step of identifying the nucleic acid marker comprises sequencing at least a portion of the nucleic acid marker. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21, 23) A method according to claim 21 or 23 wherein the step of identifying the nucleic acid marker comprises: providing a plurality of test oligonucleotides; applying the nucleic acid marker to the test oligonucleotides under conditions such that the nucleic acid marker hybridizes to test oligonucleotides to which it is complementary; and determining the test oligonucleotide or oligonucleotides to which the nucleic acid marker has hybridized. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A method according to claim 25 wherein the test oligonucleotides are attached to a substrate in an array formation. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20, 23) A method according to claim 20 or 23 further comprising the step of amplifying the number of copies of the nucleic acid marker prior to the step of identifying the nucleic acid marker. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A method according to claim 27, wherein the amplifying step comprises using thermal cycling nucleic acid amplification to amplify the number of copies of the nucleic acid marker. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) A method according to claim 28, wherein the thermal cycling nucleic acid amplification is polymerase chain reaction (PCR). ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) A method according to claim 27, wherein the amplifying step comprises using an isothermal amplification technique. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) A method according to claim 29, further comprising the step of measuring the quantity of amplified nucleic acid in the PCR during the amplifying step and stopping the amplification after the quantity of amplified nucleic acid reaches a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) A method according to claim 31, wherein the step of measuring the quantity of amplified nucleic acid comprises the step of adding an intercalating dye to the amplified nucleic acid. ### Claim 33 (depends on 20, 23) A method according to claim 20 or 23, wherein the nucleic acid marker comprises a plurality of single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) A method according to claim 33, wherein the single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide comprises a variable region flanked by a first generic region and a second generic region, wherein there is minimal homology between the variable region and the first and second generic regions. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) A method according to claim 34, wherein the variable region contains no consecutively repeated nucleotides. ### Claim 36 A marking apparatus for marking an item, the marking apparatus comprising: (a) a pyrotechnic device containing one or more smoke pellets; (b) a dye; and (c) a nucleic acid marker having a variable region of at least twelve nucleotides in length flanked by a first generic region and a second generic region, the first and second generic regions being the same in each nucleic acid marker and the variable region being different in the nucleic acid marker of the marking apparatus compared to that of another marking apparatus, wherein the dye and the nucleic acid marker are impregnated into the one or more smoke pellets, the pyrotechnic device is activatable to release a mixture of smoke, the dye, and the nucleic acid marker, and the variable region of each nucleic acid marker contains no consecutively repeated nucleotides. ### Claim 37 A method of producing a marking apparatus comprising: (a) providing a pyrotechnic device containing one or more smoke pellets having a dye incorporated therein; (b) preparing a mixture of a nucleic acid marker and a solvent, wherein each nucleic acid marker has a variable region of at least twelve nucleotides in length flanked by a first generic region and a second generic region, the first and second generic regions being the same in each nucleic acid marker and the variable region being different in the nucleic acid marker of the marking apparatus compared to that of another marking apparatus, and wherein the variable region of each nucleic acid marker (i) contains no consecutively repeated nucleotides or (ii) contains sequences of three consecutive nucleotides that are not present as sequences of consecutive nucleotides in either generic region; and (c) positioning the mixture on to at least one of the one or more smoke pellets such that the mixture diffuses through the one or more smoke pellets. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) A method according to claim 37 wherein the mixture comprises between 60 and 90% alcohol and between 10 and 40% water. ### Claim 39 (depends on 20, 23) A method according to claim 20 or 23, wherein the item is a bank note, a credit note, a cellular phone recharging card, a ticket, a document, a bank bond, or a store voucher. ### Claim 40 (depends on 14) A storage system according to claim 14, wherein the inorganic compound is magnesium silicate hydroxide. ### Claim 41 A storage system comprising a plurality of marking apparatuses for marking an item, wherein each marking apparatus comprises: means to receive the item; a nucleic acid marker; means to release a visibly staining marking fluid; and a distribution mechanism coupled to the nucleic acid marker and the means to release the visibly staining marking fluid, the means to release the visibly staining marking fluid being activatable to release the visibly staining marking fluid such that the distribution mechanism disperses a mixture of the nucleic acid marker and the visibly staining marker fluid onto the item, wherein each the nucleic acid marker has a variable region of at least twelve nucleotides in length flanked by a first generic region and a second generic region, the first and second generic regions being the same in each nucleic acid marker of each marking apparatus and the variable region being different in the nucleic acid marker of each marking apparatus, and wherein sequences of three consecutive nucleotides in each variable region are not present as sequences of consecutive nucleotides in either generic region.