Importance

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Abstract

Compositions, methods and kits are disclosed for high-sensitivity counting of individual molecules by stochastic labeling of a identical molecules in mixtures of molecules by attachment of a unique label-tags from a diverse pool of label tags to confer uniqueness to otherwise identical or indistinguishable events. Individual occurrences of target molecules randomly choose from a non-depleting reservoir of diverse label-tags. Labeled molecules may be detected by hybridization or sequencing based methods. Molecules that would otherwise be identical in information content are labeled to create a separately detectable product that can be distinctly detected. The disclosed stochastic transformation methods reduce the problem of counting molecules from one of locating and identifying identical molecules to a series of binary digital questions detecting whether preprogrammed label-tags are present. The methods may be used, for example, to count a given species of molecule within a sample.

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First Claim