Diagnostic agent for investigating gene expression - comprises oligonucleotide primer pairs formed from labelled 5'- and 3'-oligonucleotide primers

摘要

Agent for diagnosing gene expression comprises at least 288 oligonucleotide primer pairs formed from a pool of at least 24 5'-oligonucleotide primers and at least 12 3'-oligonucleotide primers coupled with a label which is recognised in a detection procedure. Also claimed is a method for using the agent comprising (a) transcribing total cell RNA into cDNA; (b) amplifying the cDNA with the agent in a specified number, pref. 288-360, of polymerase chain reactions (PCR's); (c) sepg. each of the resulting fragment mixts. using a non-denatured polyacrylamide gel; (d) registering the band pattern and comparing it with a standard; and (e) opt. isolating the DNA from the bands and using it as a probe for the gene isolation. USE/ADVANTAGE - The agent and method are used in clinical diagnoses, e.g. of cancer, and in molecular biology to identify and isolate expressed genes. Gene identification can be performed rapidly, automatically and more precisely than in known procedures, e.g. Science 257, 1992, 967 and Cancer Research 52, 1992, 6966.