Improved DNA Sequencing Accuracy and Detection of Heterozygous Alleles Using Manganese Citrate and Different Fluorescent Dye Terminators

The use of dideoxynucleotide triphosphates labeled with different fluorescent dyes (dye terminators) is the most versatile method for automated DNA sequencing. However, variation in peak heights reduces base-calling accuracy and limits heterozygous allele detection, favoring use of dye-labeled primers for this purpose. We have discovered that the addition of a manganese salt to the PE Applied Biosystems dye-terminator sequencing kits overcomes these limitations for the older rhodamine dyes as well as the more recent dichloro-rhodamine dyes (dRhodamine and BigDyes). Addition of manganese to reactions containing dRhodamine-based dye terminators produced the highest base-calling accuracy. This combination resulted in the most uniform electropherogram profiles, superior to those produced by BigDye terminators and published for dye primers, and facilitated detection of heterozygous alleles.

Fluorescence Polarization in Homogeneous Nucleic Acid Analysis

A new method for DNA diagnostics based on template-directed primer extension and detection by fluorescence polarization is described. In this method, amplified genomic DNA containing a polymorphic locus is incubated with oligonucleotide primers (designed to hybridize to the DNA template adjacent to the polymorphic site) in the presence of allele-specific dye-labeled dideoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and a commercially available modified Taq DNA polymerase. The primer is extended by the dye-terminator specific for the allele present on the template, increasing ∼10-fold the molecular weight of the fluorophore. At the end of the reaction, the fluorescence polarization of the two dye-terminators in the reaction mixture are analyzed directly without separation or purification. This homogeneous DNA diagnostic method is shown to be highly sensitive and specific and is suitable for automated genotyping of large number of samples.[The data shown in Figure 3 are available as an online supplement at http://www.genome.org.]