DNA fragment sizing and sorting by laser-induced fluorescence
First Claim
1. A method for quantitatively determining the number of nucleotides in DNA fragments of about 50 kbp or less, naturally occurring or obtained by fragmenting a larger piece of DNA at known sites within said piece of DNA by induced fluorescence, comprising the steps of:
- staining said piece of DNA or said DNA fragments with a single dye effective to form stoichiometrically stained DNA or DNA fragments;
forming a flow stream of said stained DNA fragments serially spaced apart in said flow stream;
illuminating said flow stream with a light effective to cause said dye to fluoresce;
measuring the intensity of the fluorescence from each one of said stained fragments of DNA in said flow stream, wherein said intensity of said fluorescence is linearly related to said number of nucleotides in said stained DNA fragments Of about 50 kbp or less.
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Abstract
A method is provided for sizing DNA fragments using high speed detection systems, such as flow cytometry to determine unique characteristics of DNA pieces from a sample. In one characterization the DNA piece is fragmented at preselected sites to produce a plurality of DNA fragments. The DNA piece or the resulting DNA fragments are treated with a dye effective to stain stoichiometrically the DNA piece or the DNA fragments. The fluorescence from the dye in the stained fragments is then examined to generate an output functionally related to the number of nucleotides in each one of the DNA fragments. In one embodiment, the intensity of the fluorescence emissions from each fragment is linearly related to the fragment length. The distribution of DNA fragment sizes forms a characterization of the DNA piece for use in forensic and research applications.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for quantitatively determining the number of nucleotides in DNA fragments of about 50 kbp or less, naturally occurring or obtained by fragmenting a larger piece of DNA at known sites within said piece of DNA by induced fluorescence, comprising the steps of:
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staining said piece of DNA or said DNA fragments with a single dye effective to form stoichiometrically stained DNA or DNA fragments; forming a flow stream of said stained DNA fragments serially spaced apart in said flow stream; illuminating said flow stream with a light effective to cause said dye to fluoresce; measuring the intensity of the fluorescence from each one of said stained fragments of DNA in said flow stream, wherein said intensity of said fluorescence is linearly related to said number of nucleotides in said stained DNA fragments Of about 50 kbp or less. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for quantitatively determining the number of nucleotides in DNA fragments containing 50 kbp or less of nucleotides, naturally occurring or obtained by fragmenting a larger piece of DNA at known sites within said piece of DNA by induced fluorescence, comprising the steps of:
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staining said piece of DNA or said DNA fragments with a single dye effective to form stoichiometrically stained DNA or DNA fragments; forming a flow stream of said stained DNA fragments serially spaced apart in said flow stream; passing said flow stream through an excitation and detection volume effective to contain only a single DNA fragment at a time; illuminating said flow stream with a light effective to cause said dye to fluoresce; counting the number of photons emitted by said dye to output a fluorescence signal from each one of said stained fragments of DNA in said flow stream; and determining a centroid value for each peak of said fluorescence signal, wherein said centroid value is linearly related to said number of nucleotides in each one of said stained DNA fragments having 50 kbp or less of nucleotides. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification