Marker solution to be applied by means of an inkjet printer

Abstract

The invention relates to a marker solution which is to be applied by means of an inkjet printer and contains (i) at least one organic solvent that has a greater steam pressure than water at 20° C. and a water content of less than 50 percent (v/v), (ii) predefined first synthetically produced nucleic acids, and (iii) a nucleic acid-complexing, organic auxiliary agent as components.

1 . A marker solution for application by means of an inkjet printer, which contains as components (i) at least one organic solvent with a higher vapor pressure than water at 20° C. and a water content of less than 50% (v/v), (ii) specified first synthetically prepared nucleic acids and (iii) an organic auxiliary agent that complexes the first nucleic acids. 
     
     
         2 . The marker solution of  claim 1 , characterized in that the marker solution has a higher vapor pressure than water at 20° C. 
     
     
         3 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vapor pressure of the organic solvent or of the marker solution at 20° C. is higher than 0.025 bar, in particular higher than 0.027 bar, and preferably higher than 0.03 bar. 
     
     
         4 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the organic solvent is methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropyl alcohol, butanone, acetone, ethyl ether, benzene or a mixture of at least two of these solvents. 
     
     
         5 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the concentration of the organic solvent in the marker solution is higher than 50% (v/v), preferably higher than 80% (v/v), in particular higher than 90% (v/v). 
     
     
         6 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the concentration of water in the marker solution is less than 20% (v/v), preferably less than 10% (v/v), in particular less than 5% (v/v). 
     
     
         7 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the marker solution additionally contains a dye, in particular a luminescent, especially preferably fluorescent dye. 
     
     
         8 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first nucleic acids are in single-stranded form. 
     
     
         9 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains viscous polymers for adjusting the viscosity of the marker solution, and/or charged molecules, in particular tetrabutylammonium bromide, for adjusting the conductivity of the marker solution. 
     
     
         10 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first nucleic acids have a length of 5 to 300 nucleotides, in particular 10 to 100 nucleotides, preferably 15 to 25 nucleotides. 
     
     
         11 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains additional nucleic acids, in particular having the same or almost the same length as the first nucleic acids. 
     
     
         12 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that in said solution, the quantitative ratio between the first and the additional nucleic acids is at most 1:10, preferably at most 1:20, in particular at most 1:100. 
     
     
         13 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the concentration of the first or of the first and of the additional nucleic acids in the marker solution is higher than 0.1% (w/v), in particular higher than 1% (w/v), preferably higher than 2% (w/v). 
     
     
         14 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the auxiliary agent complexing the first nucleic acids is a detergent with one or more positive charges or partial charges. 
     
     
         15 . The marker solution of  claim 14 , characterized in that the concentration of the detergent in the marker solution is between 0.1% (w/v) and 10% (w/v), in particular between 0.5% (w/v) and 5% (w/v), and preferably between 0.7% (w/v) and 3% (w/v). 
     
     
         16 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the auxiliary agent complexing the first nucleic acids is a monomeric or polymeric amine such as spermdine or polylysine. 
     
     
         17 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the auxiliary agent is a cationic detergent. 
     
     
         18 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cationic detergent is hexadecyltrthylammonium bromide or dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. 
     
     
         19 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first or the additional nucleic acids form complexes with the auxiliary agent that are insoluble in aqueous solution. 
     
     
         20 . The marker solution of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the solubility of the first and of the additional nucleic acids in the marker solution is higher by a factor of 5, preferably by a factor of 10, especially preferably by a factor of 100 than the solubility in an identical solution without the detergent. 
     
     
         21 . A method for the production of the marker solution of any of  claims 1  to  20 , with the following steps:
 a) dissolving first synthetically produced nucleic acids in an aqueous solvent or providing first synthetically produced nucleic acids in an aqueous solvent, 
 b) bringing the first nucleic acids into contact with an organic auxiliary agent that complexes the first nucleic acids, wherein complexes of the first nucleic acids and the auxiliary agent are formed, 
 c) mixing the complexes with an organic solvent that has a higher vapor pressure than water at 20° C. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , characterized in that complexes that are precipitated in step b) are separated from the aqueous solvent and are dissolved in the organic solvent in step c). 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  or  22 , characterized in that the vapor pressure of the organic solvent at 20° C. is higher than 0.025 bar, in particular higher than 0.027 bar, preferably higher than 0.03 bar. 
     
     
         24 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  23 , characterized in that the organic solvent is methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropyl alcohol, butanone, acetone, ethyl ether, benzene or a mixture of at least two of these solvents. 
     
     
         25 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  24 , characterized in that the concentration of the organic solvent in the marker solution is adjusted to a value higher than 50% (v/v), preferably higher than 80% (v/v), in particular higher than 90% (v/v). 
     
     
         26 . The method of any of  claims 21  to characterized in that the concentration of water in the marker solution is adjusted to a value less than 20% (v/v), preferably less than 10% (v/v), in particular less than 5% (v/v). 
     
     
         27 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  26 , characterized in that the concentration of the auxiliary agent in the marker solution is adjusted to a value between 0.1 (w/v) and 10% (w/v), in particular between 0.5% (w/v) and 5% (w/v), preferably between 0.7% (w/v) and 3% (w/v). 
     
     
         28 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  27 , characterized in that a dye, in particular a fluorescent dye, is added to the marker solution, to the aqueous solvent or to the organic solvent. 
     
     
         29 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  28 , characterized in that, the first nucleic acids are in single-stranded form. 
     
     
         30 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  29 , characterized in that viscous polymers for adjusting the viscosity of the marker solution and/or charged molecules, in particular tetrabutylammonium bromide, for adjusting the conductivity of the marker solution, are added to the marker solution, to the aqueous solvent or to the organic solvent. 
     
     
         31 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  30 , characterized in that the first nucleic acids have a length of 5 to 300 nucleotides, in particular 10 to 100 nucleotides, preferably 1.5 to 25 nucleotides. 
     
     
         32 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  31 , characterized in that additional nucleic acids, in particular having the same or almost the same length as the first nucleic acids, are dissolved in the aqueous solvent in addition to the first nucleic acids, or additional nucleic acids are provided in the aqueous solvent in addition to the first nucleic acids. 
     
     
         33 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  32 , characterized in that the quantitative ratio between the first and the additional nucleic acids is at most 1:10, preferably at most 1:20, in particular at most 1:100. 
     
     
         34 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  33 , characterized in that the concentration of the first or of the first and of the second nucleic acids in the marker solution is adjusted to a value higher than 0.1% (w/v), in particular higher than 1% (w/v) , preferably higher than 2% (w/v). 
     
     
         35 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  34 , characterized in that he auxiliary agent is a detergent. 
     
     
         36 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  35 , characterized in that the detergent is a cationic detergent. 
     
     
         37 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  36 , characterized in that the cationic detergent is hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide or dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. 
     
     
         38 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  37 , characterized in that the auxiliary agent is a monomeric or polymeric amine, preferably spermidine or polylysine. 
     
     
         39 . The method of any of  claims 21  to  38 , characterized in that the first and additional nucleic acids are dissolved in the organic solvent at a concentration at which they would not be completely soluble in the organic solvent without the detergent. 
     
     
         40 . Use of a marker solution, which contains as components (i) at least one organic solvent with higher vapor pressure than water at 20° C. and a water content of less than 50% (v/v), (ii) specified first nucleic acids and (iii) an organic auxiliary agent that complexes the first nucleic acids, for the marking of a surface of an object by means of a printer. 
     
     
         41 . The use of  claim 40 , characterized in that the printer is an inkjet printer. 
     
     
         42 . The use of  claim 40  or  41 , characterized in that the surface is smooth. 
     
     
         43 . The use of any of  claims 40  to  42 , characterized in that the surface consists of hydrophobic plastic. 
     
     
         44 . The use of  claim 43 , characterized in that the plastic is polyethylene or polypropylene. 
     
     
         45 . The use of any of  claims 40  to  44 , characterized in that a marking is formed by applying the marker solution to defined areas and another solution to other areas, the other solution, having the same composition as the marker solution, except that it does not contain any first nucleic acids. 
     
     
         46 . The use of  claim 45 , characterized in that the other solution contains second nucleic acids.