Method of performing digital PCR
First Claim
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1. A method of detection of a target nucleic acid comprising:
- providing a sample comprising an initial quantity of a target nucleic acid molecule;
amplifying or enriching the sample to produce an amplified quantity of the target nucleic acid molecule;
after amplifying, fractionating the sample into a plurality of sample volumes wherein more than 50% of the fractions contain no more than 1 of the target nucleic acid molecules;
changing the ion concentration in one or more of the sample volumes by subjecting the plurality of sample volumes to conditions for amplification;
detecting the change in ion concentration in the one or more of sample volumes; and
determining the initial quantity of target nucleic acid in the sample.
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Abstract
A method of detection of a target nucleic acid is provided. The method includes fractionating a sample into a plurality of sample volumes wherein more than 50% of the fractions contain no more than 1 target nucleic acid molecule per sample volumes, and subjecting the plurality of sample volumes to conditions for amplification. The method further includes detecting a change in ion concentration in a sample volume wherein a target nucleic acid is present, counting the number of fractions with an amplified target nucleic acid, and determining the quantity of target nucleic acid in the sample.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of detection of a target nucleic acid comprising:
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providing a sample comprising an initial quantity of a target nucleic acid molecule; amplifying or enriching the sample to produce an amplified quantity of the target nucleic acid molecule; after amplifying, fractionating the sample into a plurality of sample volumes wherein more than 50% of the fractions contain no more than 1 of the target nucleic acid molecules; changing the ion concentration in one or more of the sample volumes by subjecting the plurality of sample volumes to conditions for amplification; detecting the change in ion concentration in the one or more of sample volumes; and determining the initial quantity of target nucleic acid in the sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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13. A method for performing absolute quantification of a nucleic acid comprising:
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diluting a sample containing an initial amount of a target nucleic acid into a plurality of sample volumes wherein the percentage of reaction areas containing one or more target nucleic acid molecules is greater than 50% and less than 100%; changing a concentration of ions in two or more of the sample volumes by subjecting the plurality of sample volumes to at least one amplification cycle; detecting the change in ion concentration in the two or more of sample volumes after the at least one amplification cycle; quantitating an initial amount of target nucleic acid; wherein detecting comprises detecting both positive and negative ions.
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15. A method of detection of a target nucleic acid comprising:
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providing a sample comprising an initial quantity of a target nucleic acid molecule; fractionating the sample into a plurality of wells so that more than 50% of the wells contain no more than one of target nucleic acid molecules, wherein at least one of the wells contains at least one of the target nucleic acid molecule, at least one of the wells contain a portion of the sample with no target nucleic acid molecule, and at least one of the wells contains no sample and no target nucleic acid molecule; changing the ion concentration in one or more of the sample volumes by subjecting the plurality of sample volumes to conditions for amplification; detecting the change in ion concentration in the one or more of sample volumes; determining the initial quantity of the target nucleic acid in the sample; and detecting which well or wells contain no sample and no target nucleic acid molecule.
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Specification