Patent ID: 7407748
Filing Date: 2008-08-05
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
1. A method for obtaining an activation profile of a biological sample comprising a plurality of transcription factors, said activation profile comprising an activation state of some or all of said transcription factors, said method comprising: binding onto a solid support in a pre-determined spatial arrangement a subset of a plurality of different capture molecules to form a micro-array able to specifically interact with one or more activated transcription factor(s) present in said biological sample, wherein the different capture molecules are present in different spots on the micro-array and wherein the capture molecules contain a double-stranded DNA sequence comprising a specific sequence able to bind activated transcription factor(s) and a spacer comprising a double-stranded DNA sequence of between about 50 and about 250 base pairs, and wherein said double-stranded DNA sequence of between about 50 and about 250 base pairs is not present in said biological sample; contacting the biological sample upon the solid support under conditions allowing said interaction; monitoring signals resulting from said interaction, whereby a positive signal is detected for each of said transcription factor present in said biological sample in an activation state when bound to its specific capture molecule; and providing a cellular activation profile from said detected positive signals, wherein the signals obtained from the different spots on the micro-array are combined and used to create an activation profile of said biological sample and wherein the activation profile is generated from signals obtained from at least two different activated transcription factors belonging to the same regulatory circuit or to two different regulatory circuits.