Patent ID: 6459994
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: C07K,G01N

Abstract:
A computer-assisted method for selecting and directing the isolation of one or more proteins present in a two-dimensional array, comprising:a purification step, wherein a biological sample is treated by selectively depleting the sample of one or more proteins; a first separation step following the purification step, wherein a plurality of proteins in the treated sample are separated according to a first physical or chemical property to form a one-dimensional array of proteins; a second separation step, wherein the one-dimensional array of proteins is separated according to a second physical or chemical property to form the two-dimensional array; imaging the two-dimensional array or a replica thereof to generate a computer-readable output comprising, for each of a plurality of proteins detected in the two-dimensional array, a pair of x,y coordinates and a signal value; processing the output in at least one computer to select one or more of the detected proteins in accordance with previously ordained or operator-specified criteria; and generating machine-readable instructions that direct a robotic device to isolate at least one of the selected proteins from the two-dimensional array.