Spatially encoded biological assays

摘要

The present invention provides assays and assay systems for use in spatially encoded biological assays. The invention provides an assay system comprising an assay capable of high levels of multiplexing where reagents are provided to a biological sample in defined spatial patterns; instrumentation capable of controlled delivery of reagents according to the spatial patterns; and a decoding scheme providing a readout that is digital in nature.

主权项

1. A method to determine the abundance or activity or both of a biological target in a sample, comprising the following steps:
delivering encoded probes for a biological target to multiple sites in a sample affixed to a support, wherein each encoded probe comprises a probe region capable of specific binding to the biological target and a coding tag comprising an oligonucleotide that identifies the location of the site to which the encoded probe is delivered; allowing the encoded probes to interact with the biological target; separating encoded probes specifically bound to the biological target from encoded probes not specifically bound to the biological target; pooling encoded probes specifically bound to the biological target; determining all or a portion of the coding tag oligonucleotide sequence of the encoded probe in the pool by performing a polynucleotide sequencing reaction of the encoded probe, thereby identifying the location of the site to which the encoded probe is delivered; and associating the abundance or activity or both of the biological target to the locations of the multiple sites in the sample.