Patent ID: 6027884
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: C12N,G16B

Abstract:
A method of preparing a first double-strand nucleic acid comprising a first binding site for a nucleic acid-binding ligand, wherein a first value of a first free energy parameter for said first double-strand nucleic acid has a preselected relationship with a first reference value of the first free energy parameter for a reference double-strand nucleic acid comprising a reference binding site for the ligand; the first free energy parameter is a characteristic of the binding of a ligand of interest to its binding site; and the preselected relationship is higher than, equal to or lower than, said method comprising:(a) determining a test value for a test double-strand nucleic acid, comprising a test binding site for the ligand, of a second free energy parameter that is characteristic of the hybridization of the two complementary strands of a double-strand nucleic acid;(b) comparing the test value to a reference value (second reference value) of the second free energy parameter for the reference double-strand nucleic acid; and(c) if the test value and the second reference value of the second free energy parameter exhibit a test relationship that is the same as the preselected relationship, then preparing a first double-strand nucleic acid comprising all or part of the test nucleic acid, but if the test relationship is different than the preselected relationship, repeating steps (a) and (b) on one or more additional test double-strand nucleic acids until an additional test double-strand nucleic acid is identified wherein the test relationship is the same as the preselected relationship, and then preparing a first double-strand nucleic acid comprising all or part of the additional test nucleic acid.