Patent ID: 7435542

Claim:
A method of identifying RNA ligands which bind to a target molecule, said method comprising: preparing, through one or more rounds of amplification and selection, a first pool of RNA ligands that collectively bind more than one target, wherein the first pool of RNA ligands comprises one or more predominate target-binding RNA ligands and one or more non-predominate target-binding RNA ligands; treating the first pool of RNA ligands under conditions effective to reduce the concentration or eliminate the presence of the one or more predominate target-binding RNA ligands from the first pool of RNA ligands; amplifying the RNA ligands in the treated first pool, thereby forming a second pool of RNA ligands that is enriched in one or more non-predominate target-binding RNA ligands of the first pool but not the one or more predominate target-binding RNA ligands thereof; and identifying from the second pool one or more predominate target-binding RNA ligands that are present in the second pool at a higher concentration than other target-binding RNA ligands.