Example of Mutation Detection by CSH and MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

4 Example of Mutation Detection by CSH and MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry 

Microchips, with their unique set of biological manipulations, could greatly enhance the analytical and diagnostic procedures currently used in biophysical laboratories. In the near future, the use of microchip applications conld eliminate the need to maintain expensive complex biophysical laboratories that carry large scientific and support staff. 

Gel pads of MAGIChips could serve as micro cuvettes, which would enable massive parallel or multiplex thermodynamical studies for any DNA duplexes, triplexes, DNA binding ligands, proteins, and so forth. Thousands of melting curves could be obtained simultaneously, which cannot be accomplished with the usual UV-VIS spectrophotometer. This fact demonstrates that all mismatch discrimination and mutation detection is based on the sohd theoretical foundation of classical DNA thermodynamics. 

The information and research presented in this chapter effectively demonstrate a practical example of the MALDI-TOF application in the field of mutation detection. It is our hope to continue and enhance this progressive direction for microchip applications. 

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