Viral identification by generation and detection of protein signatures
First Claim
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1. A process for identifying a virus comprising proteins, said process comprising:
- solubilizing at least a portion of the proteins of the virus to provide solubilized proteins;
providing a microfluidic chip;
optionally preconcentrating said solubilized proteins on said microfluidic chip;
labeling at least a portion of said solubilized proteins to provide labeled proteins on said microfluidic chip;
electrokinetically injecting at least a portion of said labeled proteins into at least one microchannel electrophoretic separator on said microfluidic chip;
electrophoretically separating at least a portion of said labeled proteins in a constant-current mode to provide separated proteins on said microfluidic chip;
detecting at least a portion of said separated proteins on said microfluidic chip using a detector, wherein said detecting generates signals correlate to the concentration and separation time of said separated proteins; and
analyzing said signals to identify the virus.
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Abstract
The present invention provides systems and processes for the collection and identification of macromolecules, such as biologically-derived macromolecules (e.g., proteins and nucleic acids), by measuring and comparing the molecular weight signatures of macromolecular samples. Reproducible molecular weight signatures provides reliable sample identification. In the case of viruses, proteomic molecular weight signatures can be used for identifying viral agents.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A process for identifying a virus comprising proteins, said process comprising:
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solubilizing at least a portion of the proteins of the virus to provide solubilized proteins;
providing a microfluidic chip;
optionally preconcentrating said solubilized proteins on said microfluidic chip;
labeling at least a portion of said solubilized proteins to provide labeled proteins on said microfluidic chip;
electrokinetically injecting at least a portion of said labeled proteins into at least one microchannel electrophoretic separator on said microfluidic chip;
electrophoretically separating at least a portion of said labeled proteins in a constant-current mode to provide separated proteins on said microfluidic chip;
detecting at least a portion of said separated proteins on said microfluidic chip using a detector, wherein said detecting generates signals correlate to the concentration and separation time of said separated proteins; and
analyzing said signals to identify the virus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14)
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10. A process, comprising:
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solubilizing components of a sample, said sample comprising a chemical or a biological agent to provide solubilized components;
optionally preconcentrating said solubilized components;
labeling at least a portion of said solubilized components with a fluorescent dye to provide labeled components;
injecting said labeled components electrokinetically into at least one microchannel electrophoretic separator;
separating the labeled components electrophoretically using a controlled electric field, said controlled electric field operating in a constant-current mode;
detecting the separated components with a detector, said detector generating signals, the generated signals being correlated to the concentration and separation time of the labeled components;
generating an agent component signature comprising said concentration and said separation time; and
correlating said agent component signature to the identity of the chemical or biological agent. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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15. A process, comprising:
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solubilizing components of at least two samples comprising a chemical agent, a biological agent, or both, to provide solubilized components;
optionally preconcentrating said solubilized components;
individually labeling the solubilized components with a fluorescent dye;
individually injecting the solubilized components electrokinetically into at least one microchannel electrophoretic separator;
individually electrophoretically separating the labeled components using a controlled electric field operating in a constant-current mode to provide separated components;
individually detecting the separated components with a detector capable of generating signals correlatable to the concentration and separation time of the labeled components;
individually generating an agent component signature comprising said concentration and said separation time; and
identifying a chemical agent or biological agent isoform among the individual agent component signatures. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system, comprising:
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a microfluidic chip, comprising;
an injection port for receiving samples comprising protein;
an optional preconcentrator;
an electrokinetic pump for transporting proteins to an electrophoretic microchannel separator, said electrophoretic microchannel separator capable of separating proteins using a controlled electric field, said controlled electric field operating in a constant-current mode;
a detector giving rise to signals correlatable to the concentration and separation time of the separated proteins; and
a data processor for correlating said signals to the protein signatures of known biological samples. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A process, comprising:
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providing a sample comprising macromolecules derived from a biological entity;
solubilizing at least a portion of said macromolecules to provide solubilized macromolecules;
optionally preconcentrating said solubilized macromolecules;
labeling at least a portion of said solubilized macromolecules with a fluorescent dye to provide labeled macromolecules;
electrokinetically injecting at least a portion of said labeled macromolecules into a microchannel electrophoretic separator;
electrophoretically separating said labeled macromolecules using a controlled electric field operating in a constant-current mode to provide separated macromolecules;
detecting said separated macromolecules using a detector capable of generating signals, said signals capable of being correlated to the concentration and separation time of said separated macromolecules;
generating a macromolecular signature, said signature comprising said concentration and macromolecular separation time; and
analyzing said macromolecular signature to identify the biological entity. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system, comprising:
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an injection port for receiving biological samples comprising biological macromolecules;
a microfluidic chip in fluid communication with said injection port, said microfluidic chip comprising;
an optional preconcentrator in fluid communication with said injection port;
an electrokinetic pump in fluid communication with said injection port capable of transporting said biological macromolecules to an electrophoretic microchannel separator comprising a controlled electric field, said controlled electric field operating in a constant-current mode;
said electrophoretic microchannel separator capable of separating said biological macromolecules;
a detector capable of detecting the presence of said separated biological macromolecules, said detector giving rise to signals being correlatable to the concentration and separation time of said separated biological macromolecules; and
a data processor for correlating said signals to a biological macromolecular signature of a biological entity. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A system, comprising:
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a microfluidic sample injection port capable of receiving a liquid comprising proteomic substances;
a microfluidic chip, comprising;
a preconcentrator in fluidic communication with said injection port, said preconcentrator comprising;
a porous surface in fluid communication between a first channel provided in said microfluidic chip and a second channel provided in said microfluidic chip, wherein the first and second channels comprise deep etched portions in said microfluidic chip and a shallow etched portions in said deep etch portions, said porous surface comprising a cover material bonded to a rough surface, said rough surface being contiguous to said shallow etched portions;
a microchannel capillary zone electrophoresis separator or a microchannel capillary gel electrophoresis separator in fluid communication with said preconcentrator; and
a detector capable of detecting the presence of proteomic substances, said detector capable of generating signals correlatable to the concentration and separation time of said proteomic substances. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A system, comprising:
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at least one separation module, comprising;
a microfluidic sample injection port capable of receiving a liquid under pressure, said liquid comprising proteomic substances;
a fluidic system capable of electrokinetically transporting said liquid and capable of separating said proteomic substances by molecular size; and
a microfluidic fluorescence detector capable of detecting the concentration and separation time of said proteomic substances; and
a power supply capable of monitoring and controlling electric currents and voltages of said fluidic system, said power supply capable of generating at least one full-scale stepped voltage in at least 20 milliseconds and capable of measuring at least one current in at least 20 milliseconds. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification