HYBRIDIZATION BUFFERS USING LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT DEXTRAN SULFATE AND METHODS FOR THEIR USE

摘要

This invention demonstrates that lower molecular weight dextran sulfate is an effective volume exclusion agent of hybridization reactions. The hybridization buffers of this invention utilize smaller polymers of dextran sulfate, and thus are of a lower viscosity than conventional hybridization buffers that use higher molecular weight dextran sulfate polymers as volume exclusion agents. The lower viscosity of these low molecular weight dextran sulfate polymer buffers makes them useful for automated hybridization processes as in dispensing, automated flow, and mixing on slide.