Optical sorting method
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Abstract
The invention describes a method for isolating one or more genetic elements encoding a gene product having a desired activity, comprising the steps of: (a) compartmentalising genetic elements into microcapsules; (b) expressing the genetic elements to produce their respective gene products within the microcapsules; (c) sorting the genetic elements which produce the gene product having the desired activity using a change in the optical properties of the genetic elements. The invention enables the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids and proteins by repeated mutagenesis and iterative applications of the method of the invention.
148 Citations
18 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. A method for increasing concentration of a nucleic acid molecule comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming aqueous microcapsules from a water-in-oil emulsion, wherein a plurality of microcapsules include a nucleic acid molecule, a solid-phase support capable of being linked to the nucleic acid molecule, and an aqueous solution comprising components necessary to perform nucleic acid amplification; (b) replicating the nucleic acid molecule in the microcapsules to form replicated product copies of the nucleic acid molecule; (c) capturing the replicated product copies to the solid-phase support in the microcapsules, and (d) sorting according to a change in optical properties of the nucleic acid, thereby increasing the concentration of the nucleic acid molecule. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification