Patent ID: 6972183
Filing Date: 2005-12-06
Classification: C12N

Abstract:
1. A method for identifying a clone expressing an enzyme, the method comprising: (a) generating an expression library comprising a plurality of recombinant clones comprising nucleic acid sequences derived from genomic DNA samples of at least one microorganism; (b) introducing a mixture of a substrate selected for being specific for an enzyme selected from lipases, esterases, proteases, peptidases, reductases, oxidoreductases, lyases, ligases, isomerases, polymerases, synthases, synthetases, glycosidases, transferases, phosphatases, kinases, mono-and dioxygenases, peroxidases, hydrolases, hydratases, nitrilases, transaminases, amidases and acylases and clones from the library into capillaries in a capillary array; (c) incubating the clones with the substrate in the capillary-array in a reservoir containing water for a period of time to allow water to evaporate in the capillaries sufficient for at least one of the clones to express an enzyme that interacts with the substrate to produce an optically detectable signal; (d) spatially detecting the signal to identify at least one capillary containing at least one signal-producing clone; and (e) recovering the signal-producing clone from the identified capillary, thereby identifying a clone expressing an enzyme having the desired enzymatic activity.