Method and apparatus for reading reporter labeled beads
First Claim
1. A method for imaging and decoding a plurality of encoded beads comprising the steps of:
- (a) collecting light from an encoded bead along a collection path;
(b) dispersing the light that is traveling along the collection path into a plurality of light beams, as a function of a plurality of different discriminable characteristics of the light;
(c) focussing each of the plurality of light beams to produce a respective image corresponding to that light beam, thereby generating a plurality of images, each image being indicative of an identity of said encoded bead;
(d) detecting the plurality of images;
(e) analyzing the images to determine the identity of said encoded bead; and
(f) repeating steps (a)-(e) for successive encoded beads from the plurality of encoded beads.
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Abstract
Combinatorially-synthesized deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) oligonucleotides attached to encoded beads that are hybridized to amplified and labeled genomic DNA or ribonucleic acid (RNA) are analyzed using a flow imaging system. Oligonucleotides and corresponding reporters are bound to the surfaces of a plurality of small beads such that different beads bear different oligo sequences. Each bead bears a unique optical signature comprising a predefined number of unique reporters, where each reporter comprises a predefined combination of different fluorochromes. The composite spectral signature in turn identifies the unique nucleotide sequence of its attached oligo chains. This optical signature is rapidly decoded using an imaging system to discriminate the different reporters attached to each bead in a flow in regard to color and spatial position on the bead.
108 Citations
1 Claim
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1. A method for imaging and decoding a plurality of encoded beads comprising the steps of:
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(a) collecting light from an encoded bead along a collection path;
(b) dispersing the light that is traveling along the collection path into a plurality of light beams, as a function of a plurality of different discriminable characteristics of the light;
(c) focussing each of the plurality of light beams to produce a respective image corresponding to that light beam, thereby generating a plurality of images, each image being indicative of an identity of said encoded bead;
(d) detecting the plurality of images;
(e) analyzing the images to determine the identity of said encoded bead; and
(f) repeating steps (a)-(e) for successive encoded beads from the plurality of encoded beads.
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Specification