U.S. patent application number 10/245211 was filed with the patent office on 2003-02-06 for polynucleotide synthesis.
Invention is credited to Perbost, Michel G.M..
Application Number | 20030028012 10/245211 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23665077 |
Filed Date | 2003-02-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030028012 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Perbost, Michel G.M. |
February 6, 2003 |
Polynucleotide synthesis
Abstract
A method including coupling the moiety to a phospho or phosphite
derivative of a protected alcohol, so as to form the corresponding
phosphate or phosphite between the hydroxy and phospho or phosphite
groups. The hydroxy group may be later de-protected by hydrolyzing
the resulting compound to deprotect the protected alcohol and
cleave the phosphate from the moiety so as to regenerate the
hydroxy group of the moiety. The method has particular application
to fabrication of addressable polynucleotide arrays and allows
failed sequences, as well as inter-feature regions, to be left with
a free hydroxy group at the ends of the molecules (failed sequences
or linkers) at such locations.
Inventors: |
Perbost, Michel G.M.;
(Cupertino, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Legal Department, DL429
Intellectual Property Administration
P.O. Box 7599
Loveland
CO
80537-0599
US
|
Family ID: |
23665077 |
Appl. No.: |
10/245211 |
Filed: |
September 17, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10245211 |
Sep 17, 2002 |
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09420099 |
Oct 18, 1999 |
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6451998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
506/27 ;
536/25.34 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C07B 2200/11 20130101;
C07H 21/00 20130101; C40B 40/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
536/25.34 |
International
Class: |
C07H 021/02; C07H
021/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method, comprising: (a) coupling a hydroxy group of a moiety
to a .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, so as to
form the corresponding phosphite between the hydroxy and
phosphoramidyl groups; (b) oxidizing the phosphite to a phosphate;
and (c) deprotecting the hydroxy group by hydrolyzing the resulting
compound to deprotect the protected alcohol and cleave the
phosphate from the moiety so as to regenerate the hydroxy group of
the moiety.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein a .beta.-phosphoramidyl,
protected alcohol is coupled to the hydroxy group of the
moiety.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the hydrolysis is
performed under alkaline conditions.
4. A method of synthesizing oligonucleotides on a substrate
carrying substrate bound moieties each with a hydroxy group,
comprising: (a) coupling a nucleoside phosphoramidite to the
hydroxy group of at least some of the substrate bound moieties by
forming the corresponding phosphite between the hydroxy groups of
the substrate bound moieties and the phosphoramidyl groups of the
nucleoside phosphoramidite, wherein the nucleoside has a protected
hydroxy which can be deprotected under first deprotection
conditions; and (b) coupling at least some of the substrate bound
moieties which failed to couple with the nucleoside phosphoramidite
by exposing them to a .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected
alcohol so as to form the corresponding phosphite between the
hydroxy of those substrate bound moieties and phosphoramidyl group
of the .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol,
wherein the protected alcohol can be deprotected under second
deprotection conditions but not under the first deprotection
conditions,.
5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising: (c) oxidizing
phosphites formed in steps (a) and (b) to phosphates.
6. A method according to claim 5 further comprising: (d) following
steps (a) and (b), exposing the substrate to the first deprotection
conditions to deprotect the protected hydroxy of the coupled
nucleoside; (e) repeating steps (a) to (d) wherein the deprotected
hydroxy of the coupled nucleoside from step (d) in one cycle of the
steps, serves as the hydroxy group of substrate bound moieties in
the next cycle; and (f) following step (e), exposing the substrate
to the second deprotection conditions to de-protect failed
sequences by hydrolysis of the protected alcohol and cleavage of
the phosphate from the substrate bound moiety so as to regenerate
the hydroxy group of the substrate bound moiety.
7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the second deprotection
conditions are alkaline conditions.
8. A method according to claim 6 wherein the first deprotection
conditions are acidic conditions.
9. A method according to claim 4 wherein the at least some of the
substrate bound moieties which failed to couple are exposed to a
.beta.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol.
10. A method of synthesizing oligonucleotides on a substrate
carrying substrate bound moieties each with a hydroxy group,
comprising: (a) coupling a nucleoside phosphoramidite to the
hydroxy group of at least some of the substrate bound moieties,
which first nucleoside has a protected hydroxy which can be
deprotected under first deprotection conditions, by forming the
corresponding phosphite between the hydroxy groups of the substrate
bound moieties and the phosphoramidyl groups of the first
nucleoside phosphoramidite, wherein the nucleoside has a protected
hydroxy which can be deprotected under first deprotection
conditions; (b) protecting at least some of the substrate bound
moieties which failed to couple with the nucleoside phosphoramidite
by exposing them to a .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected
alcohol, which protected alcohol can be deprotected under second
deprotection conditions but not the first deprotection conditions,
so as to form the corresponding phosphite between the hydroxy of
those substrate bound moieties, and phosphoramidyl group of the
.beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, wherein the
protected alcohol can be deprotected under second deprotection
conditions but not under the first deprotection conditions; (c)
oxidizing phosphites formed in steps (a) and (b) to phosphates; (d)
following steps (a) and (b), exposing the substrate to the first
deprotection conditions to deprotect the protected hydroxy of the
coupled nucleoside; (e) repeating steps (a) to (d) wherein the
deprotected hydroxy of the coupled nucleoside from step (d) in one
cycle of the steps, serves as the hydroxy group of substrate bound
moieties in the next cycle; and (f) following step (e), exposing
the substrate to the second deprotection conditions to de-protect
failed sequences by hydrolysis of the protected alcohol and
cleavage of the phosphate from the substrate bound moiety so as to
regenerate the hydroxy group of the substrate bound moiety; wherein
the protected alcohol of the .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl,
protected alcohol, has a carboxylate group.
11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the .beta.- or
.gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, is a carbocyclic or
heterocyclic compound.
12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the phosphoramidyl and
protected alcohol are cis.
13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the .beta.- or
.gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, is a furanose or
pyranose derivative.
14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the .beta.- or
.gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, is a
3-carboxylate-4-phosphora- midylfuran.
15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the .beta.- or
.gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, is a
2,5-dialkoxy-3-carboxylat- e-4-phosphoramidylfuran.
16. A method of fabricating an addressable array of polynucleotides
on a substrate carrying substrate bound moieties each with a
hydroxy group, comprising, at each of multiple different substrate
addresses: (a) coupling a nucleoside phosphoramidite to the hydroxy
group of at least some of the substrate bound moieties by forming
the corresponding phosphite between the hydroxy groups of the
substrate bound moieties and the phosphoramidyl groups of the first
phosphoramidite, wherein the nucleoside has a protected hydroxy
which can be deprotected under first deprotection conditions,; and
(b) protecting at least some of the substrate bound moieties which
failed to couple with the nucleoside phosphoramidite by exposing
them to a .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol so
as to form the corresponding phosphite between the hydroxy of those
substrate bound moieties, and phosphoramidyl group of the .beta.-
or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, wherein the protected
alcohol can be deprotected under second deprotection conditions but
not the first deprotection conditions; (c) oxidizing phosphites
formed in steps (a) and (b) to phosphates. (d) following steps (a)
and (b), exposing the addresses to the first deprotection
conditions to deprotect the protected hydroxy of the coupled
nucleoside; (e) repeating steps (a) to (d) wherein the deprotected
hydroxy of the coupled nucleoside from step (d) in one cycle of the
steps, serves as the hydroxy group of substrate bound moieties in
the next cycle, so as to form different polynucleotide sequences at
different addresses; and (f) following step (e), exposing the
substrate to the second deprotection conditions to de-protect
failed sequences by hydrolysis of the protected alcohol and
cleavage of the phosphate from the substrate bound moiety so as to
regenerate the hydroxy group of the substrate bound moiety.
17. A method according to claim 16 wherein in step (a) the
phosphoramidites to be coupled at respective addresses are
deposited as droplets at those addresses, and wherein in step (b)
both the addresses and inter-address areas are exposed to the
.beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol.
18. A method according to claim 16 wherein in step (b) all of the
substrate is simultaneously exposed to the .beta.- or
.gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol.
19. A method according to claim 18 wherein in step (f) all of the
substrate is simultaneously exposed to the .beta.- or
.gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol.
20. A method according to claim 16 wherein the second deprotection
conditions are alkaline conditions.
21. A method according to claim 16 wherein the at least some of the
substrate bound moieties which failed to couple are exposed to a
.beta.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol.
22. A method of fabricating an addressable array of polynucleotides
on a substrate carrying substrate bound moieties each with a
hydroxy group, comprising, at each of multiple different substrate
addresses: (a) coupling a nucleoside phosphoramidite to the hydroxy
group of at least some of the substrate bound moieties by forming
the corresponding phosphite between the hydroxy groups of the
substrate bound moieties and the phosphoramidyl groups of the first
phosphoramidite, wherein the nucleoside has a protected hydroxy
which can be deprotected under first deprotection conditions,; and
(b) coupling at least some of the substrate bound moieties which
failed to couple with the nucleoside phosphoramidite by exposing
them to a .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol so
as to form the corresponding phosphite between the hydroxy of those
substrate bound moieties, and phosphoramidyl group of the .beta.-
or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, wherein the protected
alcohol can be deprotected under second deprotection conditions but
not the first deprotection conditions; (c) oxidizing phosphites
formed in steps (a) and (b) to phosphates. (d) following steps (a)
and (b), exposing the addresses to the first deprotection
conditions to deprotect the protected hydroxy of the coupled
nucleoside; (e) repeating steps (a) to (d) wherein the deprotected
hydroxy of the coupled nucleoside from step (d) in one cycle of the
steps, serves as the hydroxy group of substrate bound moieties in
the next cycle, so as to form different polynucleotide sequences at
different addresses; and (f) following step (e), exposing the
substrate to the second deprotection conditions to de-protect
failed sequences by hydrolysis of the protected alcohol and
cleavage of the phosphate from the substrate bound moiety so as to
regenerate the hydroxy group of the substrate bound moiety; wherein
the nucleoside has a carboxylate group.
23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the .beta.- or
.gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, is a furanose or
pyranose derivative.
24. A method according to claim 22 wherein the .beta.- or
.gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohol, is a
2,5-dialkoxy-3-carboxylat- e-4-phosphoramidylfuran.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of allowed U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/420099 filed Oct. 18, 1999 by the same
inventor (expected to issue as U.S. Pat. No. 6,451,998 on Sept. 17,
2002), and from which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. 120. The
foregoing application is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to arrays, particularly
polynucleotide arrays such as DNA arrays, which are useful in
diagnostic, screening, gene expression analysis, and other
applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Polynucleotide arrays (such as DNA or RNA arrays), are known
and are used, for example, as diagnostic or screening tools. Such
arrays include regions of usually different sequence
polynucleotides arranged in a predetermined configuration on a
substrate. These regions (sometimes referenced as "features") are
positioned at respective locations ("addresses") on the substrate.
The arrays, when exposed to a sample, will exhibit an observed
binding pattern. This binding pattern can be detected upon
interrogating the array. For example all polynucleotide targets
(for example, DNA) in the sample can be labeled with a suitable
label (such as a fluorescent compound), and the fluorescence
pattern on the array accurately observed following exposure to the
sample. Assuming that the different sequence polynucleotides were
correctly deposited in accordance with the predetermined
configuration, then the observed binding pattern will be indicative
of the presence and/or concentration of one or more polynucleotide
components of the sample.
[0004] Biopolymer arrays can be fabricated by depositing previously
obtained biopolymers onto a substrate, or by in situ synthesis
methods. The in situ fabrication methods include those described in
WO 98/41531 and the references cited therein. The in situ method
for fabricating a polynucleotide array typically follows, at each
of the multiple different addresses at which features are to be
formed, the same conventional iterative sequence used in forming
polynucleotides on a support by means of known chemistry. Typically
these methods use a nucleoside reagent of the formula: 1
[0005] in which:
[0006] A represents H or an optionally protected hydroxyl
group;
[0007] B is a purine or pyrimidine base whose exocyclic amine
functional group is optionally protected;
[0008] Q is a conventional protective group for the 5'--OH
functional group;
[0009] x=O or 1 provided:
[0010] a) when x=1:
[0011] R.sub.13 represents H and R.sub.14 represents a negatively
charged oxygen atom; or
[0012] R.sub.13 is an oxygen atom and R.sub.14 represents either an
oxygen atom or an oxygen atom carrying a protecting group; and
[0013] b) when x=0, R.sub.13 is an oxygen atom carrying a
protecting group and R.sub.14 is either a hydrogen or a
di-substituted amine group.
[0014] When x is equal to 1, R.sub.13 is an oxygen atom and
R.sub.14 is an oxygen atom, the method is in this case the
so-called phosphodiester method; when R.sub.14 is an oxygen atom
carrying a protecting group, the method is in this case the
so-called phosphotriester method.
[0015] When x is equal to 1, R.sub.13 is a hydrogen atom and
R.sub.14 is a negatively charged oxygen atom, the method is known
as the H-phosphonate method.
[0016] When x is equal to 0, R.sub.13 is an oxygen atom carrying a
protecting group and R.sub.14 is either a halogen, the method is
known as the phosphite method and, when R.sub.14 is a leaving group
of the disubstituted amine type, the method is known as the
phosphoramidite method.
[0017] The conventional sequence used to prepare an oligonucleotide
using reagents of the type of formula (I), basically follows the
following steps: (a) coupling a selected nucleoside through a
phosphite linkage to a functionalized support in the first
iteration, or a nucleoside bound to the substrate (i.e. the
nucleoside-modified substrate) in subsequent iterations; (b)
optionally, but preferably, blocking unreacted hydroxyl groups on
the substrate bound nucleoside; (c) oxidizing the phosphite linkage
of step (a) to form a phosphate linkage; and (d) removing the
protecting group ("deprotection") from the now substrate bound
nucleoside coupled in step (a), to generate a reactive site for the
next cycle of these steps. The functionalized support (in the first
cycle) or deprotected coupled nucleoside (in subsequent cycles)
provides a substrate bound moiety with a linking group for forming
the phosphite linkage with a next nucleoside to be coupled in step
(a). Final deprotection of nucleoside bases can be accomplished
using alkaline conditions such as ammonium hydroxide, in a known
manner.
[0018] The foregoing methods of preparing polynucleotides are
described in detail, for example, in Caruthers, Science 230:
281-285, 1985; Itakura et al., Ann. Rev. Biochem. 53: 323-356;
Hunkapillar et al., Nature 310: 105-110, 1984; and in "Synthesis of
Oligonucleotide Derivatives in Design and Targeted Reaction of
Oligonucleotide Derivatives," CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., pages
100 et seq., U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,066, U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,707, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,153,319, U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,643, EP 0294196, and
elsewhere The phosphoramidite and phosphite triester approaches are
most broadly used, but other approaches include the phosphodiester
approach, the phosphotriester approach and the H-phosphonate
approach.
[0019] In the case of array fabrication, different monomers may be
deposited at different addresses on the substrate during any one
iteration so that the different features of the completed array
will have different desired biopolymer sequences. One or more
intermediate further steps may be required in each iteration, such
as the conventional oxidation and washing steps.
[0020] While each iteration of the foregoing sequence can have a
very high yield (over 90%), there is still a small portion of the
substrate bound moiety with unreacted linking groups (referenced
together herein as "failed sequences"). It is known to cap such
failed sequences to avoid the growth of undesired polynucleotide
sequences from them. Capping compounds are described in the above
mentioned references. A conventional capping compound is acetic
anhydride which forms an acetate in conjunction with the hydroxy
group of the substrate bound moiety. However, the yield of the
capping reaction using acetic anhydride is relatively low. U.S.
Pat. No. 4,816,571 suggests using a phosphite monoester capping
reagent to form, along with the free hydroxy of the failed
sequence, a phosphite triester blocking group. However, the present
invention recognizes that in the fabrication of addressable arrays,
use of such a capping reagent can leave some portions of the
surface not carrying the desired polynucleotide sequences, with a
different terminal group (a phosphite triester) than other portions
since removal of the phosphite (de-capping) is relatively
inefficient. This is particularly the case where an array is formed
by a method which leaves spaces between the individual features
("interfeature spaces"), such as deposition of droplets of reagents
at the desired feature locations, and when capping is performed by
exposing an entire functionalized substrate (such as by flooding)
with the capping reagent. In such cases, some portions of the
functionalized surface may be capped but not others. Due to such
differences in interfeature surface composition (specifically, the
functional groups left at the end the failed sequences or
functionalizing group), background absorption of polynucleotides in
a sample being tested onto interfeature areas may vary across the
substrate, making identification of a features to which
polynucleotides have bound, more difficult. This may be
particularly the case where automated systems are used to detect
such features, based on patterns observed on the array following
exposure to a sample.
[0021] It is also known in the context of RNA hydrolysis generally,
and in the context of preparing a "universal" solid support upon
which oligonucleotides can be synthesized, that a
.beta.-phosphotriester group (in relation to a an ester group) of a
molecule used to link the growing oligonucleotide to a support, can
be hydrolyzed so as to cleave the linker from the support and the
phosphate from the linker to provide a 3' hydroxy on the growing
oligonucleotide. Such a scheme is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,681,945 and is illustrated in FIG. 1. Similarly, deBear et al. in
Nucleosides & Nucleotides, 6(5), 821-830 (1987) also discloses
preparation of a universal solid support involving the sequence
illustrated in FIG. 2. Additionally, the reaction energy profile
involved in reactions of the foregoing type, has been disclosed by
Uchimaru et al., Biochemical and Biophysical Research
Communications, Vol. 187, No. 3, 1523-1528 (1992). The foregoing
references, and all other references cited in the present
application, are incorporated herein by reference.
[0022] It would be desirable then, to provide an alternative method
of capping failed sequences in polynucleotide formation. It would
further be desirable to provide such a method which can be used in
the fabrication of polynucleotide arrays and can provide failed
sequences and interfeature areas with a functional group of the
same type as provided by the functionalized surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The present invention then, provides a method of comprising
coupling coupling a hydroxy group of a moiety to a .beta.-phospho
or .beta.-phosphite (such as a .beta.-phosphoramidyl), protected
alcohol, so as to form the corresponding phosphate or phosphite
between the hydroxy and phospho or phosphite groups.
[0024] The invention may include the step of oxidizing any
phosphorous ester linkage formed other than a phosphate (for
example, phosphite) to the corresponding phosphate. The resulting
compound (containing the phosphate group) may then be hydrolyzed to
deprotect the protected alcohol and cleave the phosphate from the
moiety so as to regenerate the hydroxy group of the moiety.
[0025] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method
of protecting and de-protecting a hydroxy group of a moiety. In
this aspect, the hydroxy group may be protected as described above,
and de-protected by hydrolyzing the resulting compound to deprotect
the protected alcohol and cleave the phosphate from the moiety so
as to regenerate the hydroxy group of the moiety. The de-protection
may be performed under suitable conditions, such as those described
in deBear et al., cited above. For example, the hydrolysis may be
performed under alkaline conditions.
[0026] In one aspect, the above method is applied to a method of
synthesizing oligonucleotides on a substrate carrying substrate
bound moieties each with a hydroxy group (such as a functionalized
substrate surface or a hydroxy group of a substrate bound
nucleotide). In this aspect, in a coupling step a first nucleoside
carrying a phospho or phosphite group is coupled to the hydroxy
group of at least some of the substrate bound moieties in the usual
manner. The first nucleoside has a protected hydroxy which can be
deprotected under first deprotection conditions. In the case of
phosphoramidite chemistry, this coupling step results in forming
the corresponding phosphite between the hydroxy groups of the
substrate bound moieties and the phosphoramidyl groups of the first
phosphoramidite. At least some of the substrate bound moieties
which failed to couple with the nucleoside phosphoramidite are
protected by exposing them to a .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl,
protected alcohol, in the manner described above, which protected
alcohol can be deprotected under second deprotection conditions but
not the first deprotection conditions. In the case of
phosphoramidite chemistry, this forms the corresponding phosphite
between the hydroxy of those substrate bound moieties, and
phosphoramidyl group of the .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl,
protected alcohol.
[0027] The oligonucleotide synthesis method of the present
invention may include, following the foregoing, a deprotection step
is performed in which the substrate is exposed to the first
deprotection conditions to deprotect the protected hydroxy of the
coupled nucleoside in a manner already described. The sequence of
the coupling and de-protecting steps, may be repeated as often as
required to form a desired polynucleotide, with the deprotected
hydroxy of the coupled nucleoside from the deprotection step in one
cycle of the steps, serving as the hydroxy group of substrate bound
moieties in the next cycle. When all desired cycles are complete,
the substrate may be exposed to the second deprotection conditions
to de-protect failed sequences by hydrolysis in the manner already
described, so as to regenerate the hydroxy group of the substrate
bound moiety. It will be understood, of course, that there may be
other optional steps provided in each cycle or at the end of all
desired cycles. For example, an oxidation step may be provided to
oxidize internucleoside phosphites to the more stable corresponding
phosphates, and one or more washing steps may also be provided.
[0028] The present invention further includes, in another aspect, a
method of fabricating an addressable array of polynucleotides on a
substrate carrying substrate bound moieties each with a hydroxy
group. This method includes, at each of multiple different
substrate addresses, executing the above described olignonucleotide
synthesis method of the present invention (particularly, including
the described protecting and de-protecting steps). The
phosphoramidites to be coupled at respective addresses may, for
example, be deposited as droplets at those addresses, and wherein
in the protecting step at least inter-address areas (and preferably
both address and inter-address areas) are exposed to the .beta.- or
.gamma.-phospho or phosphite (for example, phosphoramidyl),
protected alcohol.
[0029] The various aspects of the present invention can provide any
one or more of a number of useful benefits. For example, an
alternative method of capping failed sequences in polynucleotide
formation is provided which does not require use of acetic
anhydride. The method can be used in the fabrication of
polynucleotide arrays and can provide failed sequences and
interfeature areas with a functional group of the same type as
provided by the functionalized surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate known schemes in the use of
universal supports for polynucleotide synthesis, as discussed in
the "Background" section above;
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates a substrate carrying multiple arrays,
such as may be fabricated by methods of the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 3 showing
multiple spots or features of one array;
[0033] FIG. 5 is an enlarged illustration of a portion of the
substrate of FIG. 3;
[0034] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustrating in general a capping and
de-capping method of the present invention; and
[0035] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustrating a specific capping and
de-capping method of the present invention.
[0036] To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals
have been used, where practical, to designate identical elements
that are common to the figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0037] Throughout the present application, unless a contrary
intention appears, the following terms refer to the indicated
characteristics. A "biopolymer" is a polymer of one or more types
of repeating units. Biopolymers are a type of polymer found in
biological systems and particularly include peptides or
polynucleotides, as well as such compounds composed of or
containing amino acid or nucleotide analogs or non-nucleotide
groups. This includes polynucleotides in which the conventional
backbone has been replaced with a non-naturally occurring or
synthetic backbone, and nucleic acids in which one or more of the
conventional bases has been replaced with a synthetic base capable
of participating in Watson-Crick type hydrogen bonding
interactions. Polynucleotides include single or multiple stranded
configurations, where one or more of the strands may or may not be
completely aligned with another. While probes and targets of the
present invention will typically be single-stranded, this is not
essential. A "nucleotide" refers to a sub-unit of a nucleic acid
and has a phosphate group, a 5 carbon sugar and a nitrogen
containing base, as well as analogs of such sub-units.
Specifically, a "biopolymer" includes DNA (including cDNA), RNA and
oligonucleotides, regardless of the source. An "oligonucleotide"
generally refers to a nucleotide multimer of about 10 to 100
nucleotides in length, while a "polynucleotide" includes a
nucleotide multimer having any number of nucleotides. A
"biomonomer" references a single unit, which can be linked with the
same or other biomonomers to form a biopolymer (for example, a
single amino acid or nucleotide with two linking groups one or both
of which may have removable protecting groups). A biomonomer fluid
or biopolymer fluid reference a liquid containing either a
biomonomer or biopolymer, respectively (typically in solution). An
"array", unless a contrary intention appears, includes any one or
two dimensional arrangement of addressable regions bearing a
particular chemical moiety to moieties (for example, biopolymers
such as polynucleotide sequences) associated with that region. An
array is "addressable" in that it has multiple regions of different
moieties (for example, different polynucleotide sequences) such
that a region (a "feature" or "spot" of the array) at a particular
predetermined location (an "address") on the array will detect a
particular target or class of targets (although a feature may
incidentally detect non-targets of that feature). In the case of an
array, the "target" will be referenced as a moiety in a mobile
phase (typically fluid), to be detected by probes ("target probes")
which are bound to the substrate at the various regions. However,
either of the "target" or "target probes" may be the one which is
to be evaluated by the other (thus, either one could be an unknown
mixture of polynucleotides to be evaluated by binding with the
other). An "array layout" refers to one or more characteristics of
the array, such as feature positioning, feature size, and some
indication of a moiety at a given location. "Hybridizing" and
"binding", with respect to polynucleotides, are used
interchangeably. A "phospho" group includes a phosphodiester,
phosphotriester, and H-phosphonate groups as defined in connection
with formula (I) above, while a "phosphite" includes a
phosphoramidite (in the case of either a phospho or phosphite
group, a moiety other than the illustrated substituted 5-membered
furyl ring may be attached to O of the phospho or phosphite group
which links between the furyl ring shown in formula (I) and the P
atom). A "lower" alkyl, carboxylate or other "lower" group,
references such a group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms. A
"protecting group" is used in the conventional chemical sense to
reference a group which reversibly renders unreactive a functional
group under specified conditions of a desired reaction. After the
desired reaction, protecting groups may be removed to deprotect the
protected functional group. To avoid confusion, the --OH group of a
nucleoside monomer (typically, the 3' or 5' --OH of a nucleoside
phosphoramidite) which is protected then deprotected during each
cycle of polynucleotide coupling, is generally referenced as a
"hydroxy", while --OH of the nucleoside monomer which is generally
only deprotected after the desired polynucleotide synthesis is
complete, is referenced as an "alcohol" group (which is typically
protected until after such completion). All protecting groups
should be removable (and hence, labile) under conditions which do
not degrade a substantial proportion of the polynucleotides being
synthesized. It is also possible in the present invention that
steps may be executed in different sequence where this is logically
possible. However, the sequence described below is preferred.
[0038] It will also be appreciated that throughout the present
application, that words such as "upper", "lower" are used in a
relative sense only. A "set" may have one type of member or
multiple different types. "Fluid" is used herein to reference a
liquid. Reference to a singular item, includes the possibility that
there are plural of the same items present.
[0039] Referring first to FIGS. 3-5, typically methods and
apparatus of the present invention generate or use a contiguous
planar substrate 10 carrying one or more arrays 12 disposed across
a first surface 11a of substrate 10 and separated by inter-array
areas 13. The arrays on substrate 10 can be designed for testing
against any type of sample, whether a trial sample, reference
sample, a combination of them, or a known mixture of
polynucleotides (in which latter case the arrays may be composed of
features carrying unknown sequences to be evaluated). While ten
arrays 12 are shown in FIG. 5 and the different embodiments
described below may use substrates with particular numbers of
arrays, it will be understood that substrate 10 and the embodiments
to be used with it, may use any number of desired arrays 12.
Similarly, substrate 10 may be of any shape, and any apparatus used
with it adapted accordingly. Depending upon intended use, any or
all of arrays 12 may be the same or different from one another and
each will contain multiple spots or features 16 of biopolymers in
the form of polynucleotides. A typical array may contain from more
than ten, more than one hundred, more than one thousand or ten
thousand features, or even more than from one hundred thousand
features. All of the features 16 may be different, or some or all
could be the same. In the embodiment illustrated, there are
interfeature areas 17 between features, which do not carry any
polynucleotide. It will be appreciated though, that the
interfeature areas 17 could be of various sizes and configurations.
Each feature carries a predetermined polynucleotide (which includes
the possibility of mixtures of polynucleotides). As per usual, A,
C, G, T represent the usual nucleotides, while L represents a
linker bound to substrate 10. It will be appreciated that there
need not be any space separating arrays 12 from one another, nor
features 16 within an array from one another. However, in the
preferred case where arrays 12 are formed by the in situ method by
depositing droplets of reagents in each step such as by using a
pulse jet such as an inkjet type head, such interfeature areas 17
will typically be present.
[0040] As already mentioned, the method of the present invention
may use a .beta.- or .gamma.-phospho or phosphite, protected
alcohol. .beta.-phospho or .beta.-phosphite, protected alcohols,
have the following structure: 2
[0041] Wherein: Y--O-- is a phospho or phosphite group as defined
above; any of R2, R3, R4 or R5 may be the same or different and may
be selected from H, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxyl
groups (particularly lower alkyl groups), or any two of them may
together form a carbocyclic ring or heterocyclic ring (including
those having one or two heteroatoms selected from N or O) such as a
five to seven membered ring (for example, furyl); and X represents
an alcohol protecting group. .gamma.-phospho or .gamma.-phosphite
compounds have the same formula as (II) above, except that there is
an additional C (substituted or unsubstituted with one to two
groups, the same or different selected from any of those groups
which R2 to R5 may represent) between the Cs to which R2 and R4 are
bonded. Particularly preferred are those compounds of formula (II)
in which two of R2 to R5 form a ring, particularly a 5 membered
heterocyclic ring, such as furyl or pyryl (particularly where the
compound is a furanose, or pyranose derivative). In cases where a
ring is present, it is preferred that Y--O-- and X--O-- are cis
with respect to one another. Suitable protecting groups on the
alcohol include those such as described in "Protective groups in
organic synthesis" by Theodora W. Greene and Peter G. M. Wuts ,
Wiley-interscience ISBN 0-471-62301-6 p68-117. The protecting group
on the alcohol group substantially prevents one monomer from
linking with another through that alcohol group during growing of
the polymer chain.
[0042] Particular examples of compounds of formulae (II) may
include .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected alcohols, such
as 3-carboxylate-4-phosphoramidylfuran, or
2,5-dialkoxy-3-carboxylate-4-phos- phoramidylfuran, or any of those
compounds illustrate below: 3
[0043] Alternatively X may, for example, be an H-phosphonate,
Me-phosphonate, or phosphodiester group.
[0044] In general the .beta.- or .gamma.-phospho or phosphite,
protected alcohols can be prepared by methods such as described by
Toshiki Tanaka and Robert Letsinger, Nucleic Acids Research, 10,
3249-3260, 1982. The .beta.- or .gamma.-phosphoramidyl, protected
alcohols, in particular can be prepared by the method described in
column 11 and 12 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,945 up to product 2, then
the remaining alcohol is converted to the cyanoethyl
phosphoramidite using 2-cyanoethyl-N,N,N',N'-tetraisopropylpho-
sphorodiamidite (A. Kraszewski, K. E. Norris, Nucleic Acids Res.,
18, 177 (1987)). The protected nucleoside (1 mmol) and tetrazole
(0.5 mmol) are dried under vaccum for 4 hours. These reagents are
then dissolved in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2/THF (95:5, 20 ml), and
2-cyanoethyl-N,N,N',N'-tetraisopr- opylphosphorodiamidite (1.3
mmol) is added drop-wise under argon. The reaction is stirred 20
hours at room temperature. Triethylamine (0.5 ml) is added to the
reaction mixture. The mixture is diluted with CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2 (20
ml) and extracted with 2% aqueous Na.sub.2CO.sub.3 (30 ml) followed
by brine (30 ml). The aqueous layers are back extracted with
CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2 (30 ml). The combined organic layers are dried
over Na.sub.2SO.sub.4. The organic fraction is concentrated to 15
ml and product is precipitated from cold hexane. The precipitate is
dried under vaccum.
[0045] A typical execution of a method of the present invention is
illustrated using a .beta.-phospho or .beta.-phosphite compound of
formula (II). First, normally substrate 10 will have been
functionalized by providing it with substrate bound moieties with
hydroxy groups. Suitable techniques for functionalizing substrates
with such linking moieties are described, for example, in Southern,
E. M., Maskos, U. and Elder, J. K., Genomics, 13, 1007-1017, 1992.
In the manufacture of an array as illustrate in FIGS. 3-5 this step
is normally carried out by exposing the substrate 10 (in
particular, first surface 11a of substrate 10) to functionalizing
reagents as described in the foregoing references. Next, a
nucleoside phospho or phosphite compound is then deposited as a
droplet of solution onto each address on substrate 10 at which it
is desired to form a features 16, using any suitable droplet
deposition technique as discussed above, such as a pulse jet (for
example, and inkjet head). Such a nucleoside compound typically has
the phospho or phosphite group at one of the 3' or 5' positions,
depending upon which direction (3' to 5', or 5' to 3') it is
desired to have the polynucleotide synthesis proceed, and a
protected hydroxy group at the other one of those positions.
Nucleoside phosphoramidites are preferred. Suitable protecting
groups are described in "Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis" by
T. W. Green, Wiley Interscience. The protecting group should be
capable of removal to deprotect the hydroxy group, under first
deprotection conditions. The first deprotection conditions
preferably are acidic conditions, and thus acid labile protecting
groups are preferred. Acid labile protecting groups include those
such as tetrahydropyranyl groups, e.g. tetrahydropyran-2-yl and
4-methoxytetrahydropyran-2-yl; optionally substituted trityl
groups, for example a monomethoxytrityl for oligoribonucleotide
synthesis and a dimethoxytrityl for oligodeoxyribonucleotide
synthesis, pixyl; isobutyloxycarbonyl; t-butyl; and dimethylsilyl.
The preferred acid labile protecting group is a dimethoxytrityl
group, especially 4,4'-dimethoxytrityl. Conventional known reaction
conditions may be used. As a result, the nucleoside compound is
coupled to the hydroxy groups of at least some of the substrate
bound linking groups, by forming the corresponding phospho or
phosphite between the hydroxy groups of the substrate bound linkers
and the phospho or phosphite group (for example, phosphoramidyl
group) of the nucleoside compound. Particularly in the case of
phosphoramidites, the reaction is complete very rapidly at room
temperature of about 20.degree. C. (for example, in one or two
seconds).
[0046] The coupling product is then oxidized using known conditions
(described in one or more of the references cited above) to form
the more stable corresponding phosphate bond between the nucleoside
and linker. This is preferably performed by exposing substrate 10
(in particular, the entire first surface 11a) to the oxidizing
solution, for example, by flowing such a solution across first
surface 11a. Note that this oxidation step is optional, although
preferred.
[0047] At this point, the capping of substrate bound linkers which
failed to couple with a nucleoside compound, can then be
accomplished by exposing substrate 10 (in particular, the entire
first surface 11a) to such reagent. This also is preferably
accomplished by flowing a solution containing any of the capping
reagents of formula (II) described above across first surface 11a.
Suitable solvents and reactions conditions include any of those
which may be used to couple analogous nucleoside phospho or
phosphite compounds to the linker, as described above. By analogous
in this context, is referenced the same phospho or phosphite group
being present. Note that the alcohol protecting group, X, should be
one which is removed under second deprotection conditions but not
removed under the first deprotection conditions. By "not removed
under the first deprotection conditions" is referenced one of which
no more than 40%, 20%, or 10% is removed (and preferably no more
than 5%, and most preferably no more than 2%). The second
deprotection conditions are preferably alkaline, and thus X is
preferably an alkaline labile deprotecting group. Suitable alkaline
deprotecting groups are also described in "Protective Groups in
Organic Synthesis", supra. Examples of protecting groups X include
benzoyl, acetyl, p-nitrophenyl carbonate groups, silyl protecting
groups (for example, as dimethyl silyl) which can be removed with a
fluoride anion such as tetrabutylammonium fluoride. Particularly
preferable are ones which provide, on the protected alcohol, a
carboxylate group such as an alkyl carboxylate group (particularly
a lower carboxylate group), such as acetate.
[0048] Following the coupling, oxidation, and capping steps as
described above, substrate 10 (particularly first surface 11a) may
then be exposed to the first deprotection conditions (preferably by
exposure to an acidic solution as already described), to deprotect
the protected 3' or 5' hydroxy of the coupled nucleoside. The
required solution is, for example, flowed across first surface 11a.
The steps of coupling, oxidation, capping, and deprotection of the
coupled nucleoside may then be repeated until each feature 16 has
the desired polynucleotide sequence. Note that in each repetition
of the cycle of steps, the deprotected hydroxy group of a coupled
nucleoside in a given cycle, serves as the hydroxy group of
substrate bound moieties in the next cycle.
[0049] At this point, the substrate 10 (particularly first surface
11a) is exposed to the second deprotection conditions. This also
may be done by flowing the required alkaline solution across the
entire first surface 11a. As a result, failed sequences resulting
from each cycle of the steps, will be deprotected, as illustrated
in FIG. 6, by hydrolysis to deprotect the protected alcohol of such
sequences and cleave the phosphate from the substrate bound moiety
(whether a nucleotide or linker) so as to regenerate the hydroxy
group of the substrate bound moiety.
[0050] A particular example of the method of the present invention
is illustrate in FIG. 7 (in which "R" is any one of the lower
alkyls, particularly methyl). The illustrate steps may be executed
as follows. During the capping step, an equal amount of a solution
of a capping phosphoramidite and an activator (such as tetrazole)
are flooded over the surface. The solutions are either premixed or
mixed on the surface. After 1 minute the solution is removed from
the surface and an oxidation solution is flooded over the surface.
At the end of the synthesis, the DNA array is removed from the
synthesizer and is dipped in 600 ml of a 1:1 solution of a 40%
methylamine in water and 28% ammonia in water. This solution
removes the protecting groups on the DNA and the capping agent.
Then the alcoholate generated on the capping agent attacks the
phosphorus leading to a cleavage of the P--O bond. After 16 hours
at room temperature the arrays are removed from the solution and
washed with water. The DNA array is ready to be use. In the case
where other capping agents are used in accordance with the methods
of the present invention, the foregoing conditions can be adjusted
accordingly.
[0051] Various modifications to the particular embodiments
described above are, of course, possible. Accordingly, the present
invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described in
detail above.
* * * * *