SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NOTATING POLYMERS

摘要

A data structure, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, representing a polymer of chemical units is disclosed. The data structure includes an identifier including a plurality of fields for storing values corresponding to properties of the polymer. In one embodiment, the fields are capable of storing binary values. The polymer may, for example, be a polysaccharide and the chemical units may be saccharides. A computer-implemented method for determining whether properties of a query sequence of chemical units match properties of a polymer of chemical units. The query sequence is represented by a first data structure, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, including an identifier including a plurality of bit fields for storing values corresponding to properties of the query sequence. The polymer is represented by a second data structure, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, including an identifier including a plurality of bit fields for storing values corresponding to properties of the polymer. The invention also relates to methods of sequencing polymers such as nucleic acids, polypeptides and polysaccharides and methods for identifying a polysaccharide-protein interaction. The invention also involves a notational system referred to as Property Encoded Nomenclature.