Digital counting of individual molecules by stochastic attachment of diverse label-tags
DCFirst Claim
1. A method comprising:
- a) attaching a plurality of diverse label-tags to a nucleic acid target from a sample that contains multiple copies of the nucleic acid target, thereby producing a plurality of labeled targets, wherein;
i) a label-tag of the plurality of diverse label-tags comprises nucleotides selected from purine bases, pyrimidine bases, natural nucleotide bases, chemically modified nucleotide bases, biochemically modified nucleotide bases, non-natural nucleotide bases; and
ii) a labeled target of the plurality of labeled targets comprises a distinct label-tag and at least a portion of a nucleic acid target, or its complementary sequence;
b) amplifying the plurality of labeled-targets to produce a plurality of amplified labeled-targets, wherein an amplified labeled-target of the plurality of amplified labeled-targets comprises a copy of at least a portion of the nucleic acid target, or its complementary sequence, and a copy of the label-tag; and
c) detecting the plurality of amplified labeled-targets by sequencing at least a portion of the target and the label-tag; and
d) determining the number of copies of the nucleic acid target, as indicated by the number of different label-tags that are associated with the nucleic acid target.
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Abstract
Compositions, methods and kits are disclosed for high-sensitivity counting of individual molecules by stochastic labeling of a identical molecules in mixtures of molecules by attachment of a unique label-tags from a diverse pool of label tags to confer uniqueness to otherwise identical or indistinguishable events. Individual occurrences of target molecules randomly choose from a non-depleting reservoir of diverse label-tags. Labeled molecules may be detected by hybridization or sequencing based methods. Molecules that would otherwise be identical in information content are labeled to create a separately detectable product that can be distinctly detected. The disclosed stochastic transformation methods reduce the problem of counting molecules from one of locating and identifying identical molecules to a series of binary digital questions detecting whether preprogrammed label-tags are present. The methods may be used, for example, to count a given species of molecule within a sample.
293 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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a) attaching a plurality of diverse label-tags to a nucleic acid target from a sample that contains multiple copies of the nucleic acid target, thereby producing a plurality of labeled targets, wherein; i) a label-tag of the plurality of diverse label-tags comprises nucleotides selected from purine bases, pyrimidine bases, natural nucleotide bases, chemically modified nucleotide bases, biochemically modified nucleotide bases, non-natural nucleotide bases; and ii) a labeled target of the plurality of labeled targets comprises a distinct label-tag and at least a portion of a nucleic acid target, or its complementary sequence; b) amplifying the plurality of labeled-targets to produce a plurality of amplified labeled-targets, wherein an amplified labeled-target of the plurality of amplified labeled-targets comprises a copy of at least a portion of the nucleic acid target, or its complementary sequence, and a copy of the label-tag; and c) detecting the plurality of amplified labeled-targets by sequencing at least a portion of the target and the label-tag; and d) determining the number of copies of the nucleic acid target, as indicated by the number of different label-tags that are associated with the nucleic acid target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification