Mark A Baumeister

US Patent:

20110236997, Sep 29, 2011

Filed:

Dec 18, 2009

Appl. No.:

13/133275

Inventors:

Thomas Battersby - El Cerrito CA, US
Mark Baumeister - Richmond CA, US
Jesse Brooks - Oakland CA, US
Felix Kleshik - Berkeley CA, US
Stacey Tam - Walnut Creek CA, US

Assignee:

SIEMENS HEALTHCARE DIAGNOSTICS INC. - Tarrytown NY

International Classification:

G01N 33/53

US Classification:

436501

Abstract:

The methods and reagents described herein can be used to shorten incubation times in hybridization assays. As demonstrated in the examples, we have identified specific sulfonic acid polymers and hybridization conditions that lead to significantly shorter incubation times (e.g., signals after three hours that are comparable to signals that could traditionally only be obtained after overnight incubation). In some embodiments, shorter incubation times are achieved by adding the sulfonic acid polymer(s) during the hybridization process. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, shorter incubation times are achieved via changes to the hybridizing conditions, e.g., by reducing the hybridization volume, increasing the salt concentration, and/or increasing the probe concentration (capture extender probe and/or label extender probe).