Methods and applications for stitched DNA barcodes

1. A method of determining the presence of at least one genetic mutation in a population of organisms, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating one or more aqueous emulsion droplets, wherein at least one emulsion droplet includes an organism having at least one barcode-associated mutation;

(b) performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the emulsion droplet to amplify at least one fused DNA product of one or more barcodes;

(c) recovering the aqueous phase from the emulsion droplet, wherein the aqueous phase includes the amplified, barcode-associated mutation; and

(d) detecting the presence of the amplified, barcode-associated mutation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the population of organisms is S. cerevisiae.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the barcode-associated mutation includes a detectable label.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the population of organisms includes a detectable label.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting is performed by sequencing the amplified, barcode-associated mutation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting is performed by identifying the presence of a detectable label.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amplified, barcode-associated mutation is a genetic deletion or a genetic insertion.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the barcode-associated mutation is present on a plasmid.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the population of organisms includes at least 10 different barcode-associated mutations, and wherein for at least 95% of the organisms, each organism contains at least one barcode-associated mutation.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein for at least 95% of the organisms, each organism contains at least two barcode-associated mutations.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein for at least 95% of the organisms, each organism contains at least three barcode-associated mutations.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the population of organisms includes at least 100 different barcode-associated mutations and wherein for at least 95% of the organisms, each organism contains at least one barcode-associated mutation.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the population of organisms includes at least 1000 different barcode-associated mutations, and wherein for at least 95% of the organisms, each organism contains at least one barcode-associated mutation.

14. A method of identifying the genotype of a population of organisms in a mixture, wherein each single organism comprises a plurality of barcode-associated mutations therein, comprising the steps of:

(a) subjecting the mixture to conditions where for each organism in the population, the plurality of barcode-associated mutations within the single organism are covalently linked together to create a stitched barcode representing the single organism;

(b) amplifying the stitched barcode for each single organism; and

(c) determining the identity of the stitched barcode for each single organism thereby genotyping each single organism in the population of organisms.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of determining the identity is performed by detecting the presence of at least one detectable label in the stitched barcode.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein each barcode-associated mutation includes a detectable label.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the organism is S. cerevisiae.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of barcode-associated mutations includes at least one vector that expresses a gene encoding an RNA that is capable of inhibiting expression of an endogenous gene.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the population of organisms are cells derived from H. sapiens.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the population of organisms are cells derived from a mammal.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein the steps of subjecting the mixture to conditions and amplifying include creating a mixture of aqueous emulsion droplets, wherein the aqueous emulsion droplets each includes one organism having at least two barcode-associated mutations, covalently linking within the aqueous emulsion droplets a plurality of barcode-associated mutations from the organism together to create a stitched barcode representing the one organism and performing a polymerase chain reaction within the aqueous emulsion droplets to amplify the stitched barcode representing the one organism, and recovering the aqueous phase from the emulsion droplet, wherein the aqueous phase includes the amplified stitched barcode.

22. A method of identifying the genotype of a population of cells, wherein each cell comprises a plurality of barcode-associated mutations therein, comprising the steps of:

forming an emulsion of droplets wherein a majority of droplets include at most one cell;

lysing the cells within the droplets of the emulsion;

linking the plurality of barcode-associated mutations together within the droplets of the emulsion to create stitched barcodes without contamination of DNA from other cells;

amplifying the stitched barcodes within the droplets of the emulsion without contamination of DNA from other cells; and

determining the identity of the stitched barcode for each cell thereby genotyping each cell in the population of cells.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of determining the identity is performed by detecting the presence of at least one detectable label in the stitched barcode.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein each barcode-associated mutation includes a detectable label.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the cells are S. cerevisiae cells.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of barcode-associated mutations includes at least one vector that expresses a gene encoding an RNA that is capable of inhibiting expression of an endogenous gene.

27. The method of claim 22 , wherein the cells are mammalian cells.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the cells are human cells.