Appeal No. 95-4342
Application 07/938,832
18 and 23 through 32 under 35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph.
Obviousness
Claims 3 through 7, 14 and 23 through 32 are directed to analysis of the structural
relationships between monosaccharides of a carbohydrate; claims 15, 16 and 18 are
directed to kits for performing the analysis. In its broadest aspect, the method comprises
derivatizing a carbohydrate with an agent which covalently binds to the free functional
groups of the carbohydrate; breaking the glycosidic bonds of the derivatized carbohydrate
to convert it to derivatized monosaccharides; labeling the derivatized monosaccharides
with a fluorescent label; separating the fluorescent, derivatized monosaccharides
electrophoretically; and identifying the separated monosaccharides by comparing their
electrophoretic mobility with standards labeled and derivatized in the same manner. See
independent claim 23.
Lindberg discloses structural analysis of a carbohydrate through methylation of the
free hydroxyl groups on the carbohydrate, hydrolysis of the methylated carbohydrate into its
constituent monosaccharides, and separation and characterization of the
monosaccharides by gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Lindberg’s
methylation and hydrolysis steps correspond to the derivatization and degradation steps of
the present method. Levery’s disclosure is equivalent to Lindberg’s.
The three Jackson references describe structural analysis of carbohydrates based
upon electrophoretic separation of fluorescently labeled reducing saccharides and
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