Molecular tag code for monitoring a product and process using same
First Claim
1. A nucleic acid tag for monitoring, detecting or tracing substances comprising said tag comprising:
- (a) a single-stranded nucleic acid region;
(b) two ends being capable of pairing with a complementary nucleotide sequence; and
(c) at least one marker sequence having a number of non-complementary nucleotides sufficient to minimize or prevent the formation of secondary structure within said marker under conditions of use.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a nucleic acid tag comprising: a single-stranded nucleic acid sequence portion having a 5′ end portion and a 3′ end portion; at least two amplification primer binding sequences in said 5′ end and 3′ end portions; internal to these primer binding sequences, at least one marker of about 18 to about 25 nucleotides; and between these markers, a spacer, wherein the spacer has a length sufficient to allow molecular beacons to properly attach to amplification copies of the marker sequences bordering the amplification copy of the spacer and wherein the nucleic acid sequences of primer binding sequences, the marker and the spacer are chosen so as to minimize or prevent secondary structure formation. The said 5′ end and 3′ end portions are preferably protected from degradation. This molecular tag is simple and inexpensive to produce and easy to detect. There is also provided methods of identifying 15 substances with same and methods of detecting same in a substance. In a second aspect of the invention, there is also provided a use of a molecular tag for characterizing qualitatively and/or quantitatively at least one procedure of a manufacturing process for manufacturing an end product from at least one raw and/or intermediate product.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A nucleic acid tag for monitoring, detecting or tracing substances comprising said tag comprising:
-
(a) a single-stranded nucleic acid region;
(b) two ends being capable of pairing with a complementary nucleotide sequence; and
(c) at least one marker sequence having a number of non-complementary nucleotides sufficient to minimize or prevent the formation of secondary structure within said marker under conditions of use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17, 22, 24)
-
-
9. A nucleic acid tag comprising:
-
(a) a single-stranded nucleic acid sequence portion having a 5′
end portion and a 3′
end portion;
(b) at least two amplification primer binding sequences in said 5′
end and 3′
end portions;
(c) at least two marker sequences having a length of about 18 to about 25 nucleotides internal to said primer binding sequences; and
(d) a spacer between said marker sequences, wherein said spacer has a length which is sufficient to allow a specific binding of molecular beacons to amplification copies of said marker sequences and wherein the nucleic acid sequences of said primer binding sequences, of said marker sequences and of said spacer are chosen so as to minimize or prevent secondary structure formation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of tagging a substance for its identification comprising:
-
(a) tagging said substance with a molecular tag as in one of the above-mentioned claims;
(b) releasing the tagged substance in the stream of trade or in the environment;
whereby the substance suspected to contain the tag can be identified by subsequent amplification and qualitative and/or quantitative detection of said molecular tag in the substance.
-
- 18. Use of a molecular tag for characterizing qualitatively and/or quantitatively at least one procedure of a manufacturing process for manufacturing an end product from at least one raw and/or intermediate product.
-
23. A method of identifying a defective production line in a manufacturing process which comprises a pooling of manufactured products from at least two production lines to generate a pooled manufactured product comprising:
-
(a) adding a specific molecular tag to said manufactured product in each production line prior to said pooling;
(b) identifying a defective pooled manufactured product;
(c) identifying said molecular tag in said defective product, whereby the identity of said molecular tag in said defective product leads to the identification of said defective production line.
-
Specification