Detection of specific sequences in nucleic acids
First Claim
1. A kit for determining the presence or absence of a target polynucleotide sequence in a nucleic acid sample, said kit comprising:
- a first probe which is complementary to a first region of a target sequence,a second probe which is complementary to a second region of the target sequence, where said first and second target regions are contiguous with one another, and said first and second probes are capable of being ligated to each other when hybridized to such contiguous first and second target regions,a third probe which is complemnentary to a third target region of the target sequence which is continuous with the first target region, such that said second and third target regions correspond to alternative allelic sequences or to a normal and mutated sequence, andligation means capable of ligating first and second probes, or first and third probes, that have hybridized specifically to contiguous target regions to which the first and second probes, or first and third probes, are complementary, respectively.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a method for diagnosis of genetic abnormalities or other genetic conditions which can be readily automated. The method is used to determine the presence or absence of a target sequence in a sample of denatured nucleic acid and entails hybridizing the sample with a probe complementary to a diagnostic portion of the target sequence (the diagnostic probe), and with a probe complementary to a nucleotide sequence contiguous with the diagnostic portion (the contiguous probe), under conditions wherein the diagnostic probe remains bound substantially only to the sample nucleic acid containing the target sequence. The diagnostic probe and contiguous probe are then covalently attached to yield a target probe which is complementary to the target sequence, and the probes which are not attached are removed. In the preferred mode, one of the probes is labeled so that the presence or absence of the target sequence can then be tested by melting the sample nucleic acid-target probe duplex, eluting the dissociated target probe, and testing for the label. In another embodiment, the testing is accomplished without first removing probes not covalently attached, by attaching a hook to the probe that is not labeled, so that the labeled target probe may be recovered by catching the hook. In both instances, the presence of both the diagnostic probe and the contiguous probe is required for the label to appear in the assay. The above method is then applied to the detection of genetic diseases.
73 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A kit for determining the presence or absence of a target polynucleotide sequence in a nucleic acid sample, said kit comprising:
-
a first probe which is complementary to a first region of a target sequence, a second probe which is complementary to a second region of the target sequence, where said first and second target regions are contiguous with one another, and said first and second probes are capable of being ligated to each other when hybridized to such contiguous first and second target regions, a third probe which is complemnentary to a third target region of the target sequence which is continuous with the first target region, such that said second and third target regions correspond to alternative allelic sequences or to a normal and mutated sequence, and ligation means capable of ligating first and second probes, or first and third probes, that have hybridized specifically to contiguous target regions to which the first and second probes, or first and third probes, are complementary, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification