Technical Report No. 3-90
An improved method for detecting genetic variation in DNA using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis
Takahashi N, Hiyama K, Kodaira M, Satoh CEditor’s note: A publication based on this report was published in Mutat Res 234:61-70, 1990.
Summary
We have examined the feasibility of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of RNA:DNA duplexes to detect variations in genomic and cloned DNAs. The result has demonstrated that use of RNA:DNA duplexes makes DGGE much more practical for screening a large number of samples than use of DNA:DNA heteroduplexes, because preparation of RNA probes is easier than that of DNA probes. Three different 32P -labeled RNA probes were produced. Genomic or cloned DNAs were digested with restriction enzymes and hybridized to labeled RNA probes, and resulting RNA:DNA duplexes were examined by DGGE. The presence of a mismatch(es) was detected as a difference in the mobility of bands on the gel. The experimental conditions were determined using DNA segments from cloned normal and three thalassemic human beta-globin genes. The results from experiments on the cloned DNAs suggest that DGGE of RNA:DNA duplexes will detect nucleotide substitutions and deletions in DNA. In the course of these studies, a polymorphism due to a single-base substitution at position 666 of IVS2 (IVS2-666) of the human beta-globin gene was directly identified using genomic DNA samples. A study of 59 unrelated Japanese from Hiroshima was undertaken in which the frequency of the allele with C at IVS2-666 was 0.48 and that of the allele with T was 0.52.
We have examined the feasibility of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of RNA:DNA duplexes to detect variations in genomic and cloned DNAs. The result has demonstrated that use of RNA:DNA duplexes makes DGGE much more practical for screening a large number of samples than use of DNA:DNA heteroduplexes, because preparation of RNA probes is easier than that of DNA probes. Three different 32P -labeled RNA probes were produced. Genomic or cloned DNAs were digested with restriction enzymes and hybridized to labeled RNA probes, and resulting RNA:DNA duplexes were examined by DGGE. The presence of a mismatch(es) was detected as a difference in the mobility of bands on the gel. The experimental conditions were determined using DNA segments from cloned normal and three thalassemic human beta-globin genes. The results from experiments on the cloned DNAs suggest that DGGE of RNA:DNA duplexes will detect nucleotide substitutions and deletions in DNA. In the course of these studies, a polymorphism due to a single-base substitution at position 666 of IVS2 (IVS2-666) of the human beta-globin gene was directly identified using genomic DNA samples. A study of 59 unrelated Japanese from Hiroshima was undertaken in which the frequency of the allele with C at IVS2-666 was 0.48 and that of the allele with T was 0.52.