capturebased

Capturebased is a term used to describe experimental approaches that rely on a capture step to enrich, isolate, or pull down a subset of molecules from a complex sample. The capture step uses a binding interaction that is highly specific for the target, such as an antibody, a nucleic acid probe, or a receptor, enabling selective enrichment before downstream analysis.

Common forms include affinity capture, such as immunoprecipitation where antibodies bind protein targets; and nucleic acid capture, such as hybridization capture that uses biotinylated probes to bind complementary DNA or RNA sequences. In sequencing, capture-based targeted sequencing employs probes to capture regions of interest, followed by sequencing. In proteomics, affinity capture isolates protein complexes before mass spectrometry.

Applications include targeted sequencing panels for oncology or inherited disease, pathogen detection, transcriptome analysis, and proteomic studies. It is used to increase signal-to-noise ratio and reduce sequencing or analysis costs compared with untargeted approaches.

Limitations include design bias and incomplete capture, dependence on prior knowledge of targets, potential off-target enrichment, and variability in capture efficiency. The method requires careful validation and quality control, and probe design and costs can be significant.