Methods for isolating a target analyte from a heterogenous sample
View Patent ↗The invention generally relates to methods of using compositions that include sets of magnetic particles, members of each set being conjugated to an antibody specific for a pathogen, and magnets to isolate a pathogen from a body fluid sample.
1. A method for isolating pathogen from a heterogeneous sample, the method comprising:
providing a vessel that contains a heterogeneous sample comprising pathogen, the vessel being coupled to a fluidic device that comprises a channel and a magnet;
introducing to the sample in the vessel a cocktail comprising a plurality of magnetic particles, conjugated to target-specific binding moieties that bind said pathogen, thereby forming a mixture comprising pathogen/magnetic particle complexes;
flowing the mixture from the vessel into the fluidic device and through a channel in the fluidic device such that said complexes are held in place by the magnet; and
separating antibody-bound pathogen being held by the magnet from other components in the sample.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of characterizing the pathogen.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said characterizing step comprises identifying the pathogen.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said identifying step is selected from sequencing nucleic acid derived from the pathogen and amplifying the nucleic acid.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample is a blood sample.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particles are differentially labeled.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the particles comprise is an optical label.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the optical label is a fluorescent label.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target-specific binding moieties comprise antibodies.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibodies are monoclonal antibodies.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibodies are polyclonal antibodies.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pathogen is gram positive bacteria.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pathogen is gram negative bacteria.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pathogen is a virus.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic particles comprise a plurality of sets, wherein members of different sets are conjugated to different antibodies that are specific for different pathogen.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the different sets are provided at different concentrations.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the different sets are provided at the same concentrations.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic particles are beads.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the bead are from about 100 nm to about 250 nm in diameter.