| 主权项 |
1. A method for identifying a set of at least 5 organ-specific proteins that are specifically produced in a preselected organ and are shed into the blood comprising,
(a) determining, using mRNA transcripts, the sequences of sequences 17-20 nucleotides long that have been identified as signature sequences characteristic of mRNA transcripts that encode proteins from substantially all mRNA transcripts isolated from a sample of said preselected organ; (b) comparing, using a computer, the signature sequences to a database of known RNA transcripts to identify the mRNA transcripts that encode proteins to obtain a preliminary set of mRNA transcripts; (c) comparing, using a computer, the identified mRNA transcripts to mRNA transcripts known to be expressed in other organs; (d) removing, using a computer, from said preliminary set any mRNA transcripts that are known to be substantially expressed in other organs thus obtaining an intermediate set of mRNA transcripts; (e) identifying, using a computer, from the remaining mRNA transcripts in the intermediate set those mRNA transcripts that include a sequence encoding a signal peptide, thereby identifying transcripts that encode organ-specific secreted proteins from said preselected organ; and (f) confirming, using a blood sample, the presence of the organ-specific secreted proteins by assessing the blood sample, thereby identifying a set of at least 5 organ-specific proteins from said preselected organ that are shed into blood. |
