Patent ID: 8871686

Claim:
A method of identifying a binding partner of at least one target molecule within a plurality of analyte molecules, wherein the target molecule is physically combined with a target labeling nucleic acid molecule, the target labeling nucleic acid molecule comprising a specific nucleotide sequence suitable for identifying the target molecule combined therewith, the method comprising: contacting the target molecule with the plurality of analyte molecules, thereby forming a mixture, wherein the binding partner is suspected to be a member of the plurality of analyte molecules, and wherein each member of the plurality of analyte molecules is physically combined with an analyte labeling nucleic acid molecule, each analyte labeling nucleic acid molecule comprising a selected nucleotide sequence suitable for identifying the analyte molecule combined therewith; allowing the formation of a complex between the target molecule and the binding partner thereof within the mixture; subdividing the mixture into a plurality of compartments, such that each compartment comprises at most about one member of the group consisting of: (i) one target molecule, and (ii) one complex between a target molecule and an analyte molecule; thereby segregating a complex between a target molecule and an analyte molecule from the residual members of the plurality of analyte molecules; allowing the target labeling nucleic acid molecule and the analyte labeling nucleic acid molecule to be linked, thereby forming a composite nucleic acid molecule; allowing the plurality of compartments to disintegrate; retrieving the composite nucleic acid molecule; and determining the sequence of the analyte labeling nucleic acid molecule, thereby identifying the binding partner of the target molecule.