Microvesicles are enriched from a sample (for example exosomes) for subsequent isolation of biomolecules contained in the microvesicles, in particular RNA. A method involves: a) addition of an aqueous solution of salt of a polyuronic acid to the sample, b) addition of a substance which induces gel formation/pellet formation of the polyuronic acid, c) mixing of the sample and short incubation, d) centrifugation of the sample and removal of the supernatant, e) dissolving the pellet of gel piece, and 0 isolation of the biomolecules contained in the microvesicles, preferably RNA. Alginate is used as a preferred salt.

A solid reagent containment unit is formed by a support; a frame body fixed to the support and delimiting internally, together with the support, an analysis volume; a reagent-adhesion structure within the analysis volume; and at least one reagent cavity, which extends within the reagent-adhesion structure. The reagent-adhesion structure is of an adhesion material embossable at temperatures lower by 6-8° C. than its own melting point and has a melting point such as not to interfere with the analysis. The reagent cavity forms a retention wall, laterally surrounding the reagent cavity, and houses dried reagents. The adhesion material is chosen among wax, such as paraffin, a polymer, such as polycaprolactone, a solid fat, such as cocoa butter, and a gel, such as hydrogel or organogel.

Temporal variations in one or more characteristics measured from a cell-free DNA sample are used to estimate a gestational age of a fetus. Example characteristics include the methylation level measured from the cell-free DNA sample, size of DNA fragments measured from the cell-free DNA sample (e.g., proportion of fetal-derived DNA fragments longer than a specified size), and ending patterns of the DNA fragments align to a reference genome.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for generating and using machine learning models using genetic data. A set of input features for training the machine learning model can be identified and used to train the model based on training samples, e.g., for which one or more labels are known. As examples, the input features can include aligned variables (e.g., derived from sequences aligned to a population level or individual references) and/or non-aligned variables (e.g., sequence content). The features can be classified into different groups based on the underlying genetic data or intermediate values resulting from a processing of the underlying genetic data. Features can be selected from a feature space for creating a feature vector for training a model. The selection and creation of feature vectors can be performed iteratively to train many models as part of a search for optimal features and an optimal model.

The present invention relates to a method of obtaining an enriched personalized population of a target polynucleotide using a synthetic single guide RNA (sgRNA) for an sgRNA-guided nucleic acid-binding protein, as well as to a method of obtaining a pool of personalized target-irrelevant synthetic single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) for a sgRNA-guided nucleic acid-binding protein. Also provided is a kit comprising a pool of sgRNAs obtainable by the methods of the invention, the use of a pool of sgRNAs obtainable by the methods of the invention and a method of monitoring a disease state.

Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses, systems, and methods for enrichment and separation of nucleic acids by size. A sample may include a mixture of nucleic acids of various sizes, and the nucleic acids of interest may be below a particular size threshold. An example enrichment method may include mixing the sample with a first substrate (e.g., magnetic beads). The method may include separating nucleic acids above a first size threshold form a remainder of the sample using the first substrate. The method may include mixing the nucleic acids in the remainder of the sample (e.g., nucleic acids below’ the size threshold) with a second substrate and recovering the nucleic acids below the first size threshold from the second substrate.

Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses, systems, and methods for enrichment and separation of nucleic acids by size. A sample may include a mixture of nucleic acids of various sizes, and the nucleic acids of interest may be below a particular size threshold. An example enrichment method may include mixing the sample with a first substrate (e.g., magnetic beads). The method may include separating nucleic acids above a first size threshold form a remainder of the sample using the first substrate. The method may include mixing the nucleic acids in the remainder of the sample (e.g., nucleic acids below’ the size threshold) with a second substrate and recovering the nucleic acids below the first size threshold from the second substrate.

This invention generally relates to compositions comprising thaumatin-like proteins (TLP) and chitinases for use as laboratory reagents or biofungicides. The invention further relates to methods of detecting and inducing pathogen resistance in plants.

Provided is a method for depleting host nucleic acid in a biological sample, said sample having been previously obtained from an animal host, said method comprising the steps of (a) adding a cytolysin, or an active variant thereof, to said sample; and (b) carrying-out a process to physically deplete nucleic acid released from host cells within said sample or otherwise render such nucleic acid unidentifiable.

The present invention provides a method for detecting Brucella infection, i.e., a serum and blood cell synchronous detection method. The detection method comprises two operation steps of serum sample detection and living blood cell sample detection and uses a supporting kit. The kit can be used for pretreatment of blood samples for clinically detecting Brucella in vitro. The serum and blood cell synchronous detection method can be used for early clinical rapid diagnosis of Brucella infection and medication guidance in the treatment process, and can also be used for prognosis, epidemiological survey of brucellosis, etc. The present invention can also be used for early clinical rapid diagnosis of other intracellular parasitic infection.