Method for Automated DNA sequencing
First Claim
1. A method for automating the sequencing of DNA fragments, comprising the steps of:
- tagging each of a predetermined plurality of DNA fragments ending in a different base with a different fluorescent tag;
stimulating the emission of light at its characteristic wavelength from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments;
focusing the emission of fluorescent light from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments as substantially parallel rays of light onto an acousto-optic tunable filter;
controlling the operation of said acousto-optic tunable filter under control of a digital data processor such that only light at a predetermined wavelength is diffracted and exits from said acoustic-optic tunable filter at at least one angle to a main beam of light exiting from said acousto-optic tunable filter; and
detecting at least one diffracted light beam exiting said acoustic-optic tunable filter to produce an electrical representation of said fluorescent light emissions of said plurality of DNA fragments.
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Abstract
An automated DNA sequencing apparatus and method is disclosed in which a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength is sequentially focused on a plurality of lanes of DNA fragments migrating in a polyacrylamide gel and in which the DNA fragments have been tagged with fluorescent compounds. The resulting fluorescent light given off by each of the tagged DNA fragments is collected and diffracted by means of an acousto-optic tunable filter and the level of the diffracted light is then detected and analyzed in order to determine the DNA sequences of the analyzed DNA fragments. The automatic DNA sequencing system of the present invention operates under computer control to repeat a series of measurements of the fluorescent data at a multiple number of wavelengths such that the entire spectrum of fluorescence emissions from all four fluorescent tagged DNA bases can be measured at any number of wavelengths.
111 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for automating the sequencing of DNA fragments, comprising the steps of:
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tagging each of a predetermined plurality of DNA fragments ending in a different base with a different fluorescent tag; stimulating the emission of light at its characteristic wavelength from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments; focusing the emission of fluorescent light from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments as substantially parallel rays of light onto an acousto-optic tunable filter; controlling the operation of said acousto-optic tunable filter under control of a digital data processor such that only light at a predetermined wavelength is diffracted and exits from said acoustic-optic tunable filter at at least one angle to a main beam of light exiting from said acousto-optic tunable filter; and detecting at least one diffracted light beam exiting said acoustic-optic tunable filter to produce an electrical representation of said fluorescent light emissions of said plurality of DNA fragments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for automating the sequencing of DNA fragments, comprising the steps of:
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tagging each of a predetermined plurality of DNA fragments to be sequenced ending in a different base with a different fluorescent tag; generating a beam of light for stimulating the emission of fluorescent light from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments; optimizing the wavelength of the stimulating beam of light prior to its impingement on each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments; focussing the emission of fluorescent light from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments as substantially parallel rays of onto a first acousto-optic tunable filter; controlling the operation of said acousto-optic tunable filter under control using a digital data processor such that only light at a predetermined wavelength is diffracted and exits from said acoustic-optic tunable filter at at least one angle to a main beam of light exiting from said acousto-optic tunable filter; and detecting at least one diffracted light beam exiting said acoustic-optic tunable filter to produce an electrical representation of said fluorescent light emissions of said plurality of DNA fragments. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for automating the sequencing of DNA fragments, comprising the steps of:
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tagging each of a predetermined plurality of DNA fragments identified by a different predetermined characteristic with a different fluorescent tag; stimulating the emission of light at its characteristic wavelength from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments; focusing the emission of fluorescent light from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments as substantially parallel rays of light onto an acousto-optic tunable filter; controlling the operation of said acousto-optic tunable filter under control of a digital data processor such that only fight at a predetermined wavelength is diffracted and exits from said acoustic-optic tunable filter at at least one angle to a main beam of light exiting from said acousto-optic tunable filter; and detecting at least one diffracted light beam exiting said acoustic-optic tunable filter to produce an electrical representation of said fluorescent light emissions of said plurality of DNA fragments. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for automating the sequencing of DNA fragments, comprising the steps of:
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tagging each of a predetermined plurality of DNA fragments identified by a different predetermined characteristic with a different fluorescent tag; generated a beam of light for stimulating the emission of fluorescent light from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments; optimizing the wavelength of the stimulating beam of light prior to its impingement on each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments; focussing the emission of fluorescent light from each of said fluorescent tagged plurality of DNA fragments as substantially parallel rays of light onto a first acousto-optic tunable filter; controlling the operation of said acousto-optic tunable filter under control using a digital data processor such that only light at a predetermined wavelength is diffracted and exits from said acoustic-optic tunable filter at at least one angle to a main beam of light exiting from said acousto-optic tunable filter; and detecting at least one diffracted light beam exiting said acoustic-optic tunable filter m produce an electrical representation of said fluorescent light emissions of said plurality of DNA fragments. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification