Compartmentalized Screening by Microfluidic Control
First Claim
1. A method for identifying a compound or compounds in a repertoire of compounds, which compound or compound(s) possess(es) a desired activity, comprising the steps of:
- (a) compartmentalising the compounds into microcapsules, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; and
(b) identifying the compounds which possess the desired activity, wherein one or both of steps a) and b) is performed under microfluidic control.
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Abstract
The invention describes a method for the identification of compounds which bind to a target component of a bio-chemical system or modulate the activity of the target, comprising the steps of: a) compartmentalising the compounds into micro-capsules together with the target, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; and b) identifying the compound which binds to or modulates the activity of the target; wherein at least one step is performed under microfluidic control. The invention enables the screening of large repertoires of molecules which can serve as leads for drug development.
193 Citations
105 Claims
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1. A method for identifying a compound or compounds in a repertoire of compounds, which compound or compound(s) possess(es) a desired activity, comprising the steps of:
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(a) compartmentalising the compounds into microcapsules, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; and (b) identifying the compounds which possess the desired activity, wherein one or both of steps a) and b) is performed under microfluidic control.
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2-100. -100. (canceled)
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101. A method for preparing a compound, comprising the steps of:
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(a) compartmentalising the compounds into microcapsules, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; (b) identifying the compounds which possess the desired activity. (c) identifying and producing the compound having the desired activity, wherein one or more of steps a, b and c is performed under microcluidic control.
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102. A method for preparing a compound, comprising the steps of:
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(a) compartmentalising the compounds into microcapsules, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; (b) identifying and, optionally, sorting the microcapsules which have contain the compound(s) having the desired activity using a change in their optical properties; and (c) identifying and producing the compound having the desired activity.
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103. A method for screening a compound or compounds capable of modulating the activity of a target, comprising the steps of:
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(a) compartmentalising the compounds into microcapsules, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; (b) identifying and, optionally, sorting the microcapsules which contain the compound(s) having the desired activity using a change in their optical properties; and (c) contacting a target having a desired activity with the compound or compounds and monitoring the modulation of an activity of the target by the compound or compounds, wherein one or more of steps a, b and c is performed under microfluidic control.
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104. A method for preparing a target comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a synthesis protocol for a target wherein at least one step is facilitated by a compound; (b) preparing variants of the compound which facilitates this step; (c) compartmentalising the compounds into microcapsules, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; (d) identifying and, optionally, sorting the microcapsules which contain the compound(s) having the desired activity using a change in their optical properties; and (e) preparing the target using the compound identified in (d) to facilitate the relevant step of the synthesis, wherein one or more of steps a to e is performed under microfluidic control.
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105-115. -115. (canceled)
Specification