The licensing of DNA patents by US academic institutions: an empirical survey

Overview

Overview

DNA from cells is required for many biotechnology and research applications, such as molecular cloning. To remove and purify DNA from cells, researchers use various methods of DNA extraction. While the specifics of different protocols may vary, some general concepts underlie the process of DNA extraction.

DNA isolation protocols can be fast and straightforward or complex and time-consuming depending on the type and quality of DNA required for further processing. For example, plasmid DNA extraction is a bit more complicated than genomic DNA extraction because of the need for an appropriate lysis method to separate plasmid DNA from gDNA during isolation. However, for specific applications, such as long-range DNA sequencing that require a good yield of high- quality DNA samples, we need to follow...

Microarrays are high-throughput and relatively inexpensive assays that can be automated to analyze large quantities of data at a time. They are used in genome-wide studies to compare gene or protein expression under two varied conditions, such as healthy and diseased states. Microarrays consist of glass or silica slides on which probe molecules are covalently attached through surface functionalization. Most commonly, the slides are prepared through the chemisorption of silanes to silica...

Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the genetic material responsible for passing traits from generation to generation in all organisms and most viruses. DNA is composed of two strands of nucleotides that wind around each other to form a spring-like structure called a double helix. However, the double helix is not perfectly symmetrical. Instead, there are regularly occurring grooves in the structure. The major groove occurs where the sugar-phosphate backbones are relatively far apart. This space...