HYBRIDIZATION WITH NUCLEIC ACID PROBES substrates

DNA arrays have been categorized into different formats based upon what is immobilized to the surface (also known as the solid phase, substrate, or chip) and what is captured from the sample solution. Definitions change depending upon the format. For the classic Southern dot blot, the sample was first spotted down on the surface, cross-linked, and then bathed with a radio-labeled oligonucleotide under hybridization (complementary nucleic acid strand base-pairing) conditions to detect the presence of a parhcular sequence within the sample. This was called probing. The oligonucleohde... 

Fig. 30. Detection of mRNA on a membrane or in situ with labeled gene probes. A Detection of mRNA with a fluorescein-labeled single stranded nucleic acid probe, using POD-conjugated anti-fluorescein antibody. B Use of two gene probes labeled with different molecules (fluorescein and digoxigenin) and detected with specific antibodies, both coupled to AP and using two substrates, leading to differently colored products. This in situ hybridization scheme allows the simultaneous detection of two mRNA species in a tissue or cell preparation. C Amplification systems involving more than one antibody can be used to increase specificity and signal intensity.

A typical DNA array fabrication and application process involves three major steps. First, nucleic acids (the capture sequences or probes) are immobilized at discrete positions on surface activated substrates. Secondly, the resulting array is hybridized with a complex mixture of fluorescently labelled nucleic acids (the target), and thirdly subsequent to hybridization, the fluorescent markers are detected using a high-resolution scanning laser that quantifies the interaction. This chapter focuses on the first of these processes and provides the reader with an overview of substrates, surface activation methods and dehvery systems available for nucleic acid immobilization. 

Similar techniques can be used to devise avidin—biotin assay systems for detection of nucleic acid hybridization. DNA probes labeled with biotin can be detected after they bind their complementary DNA target through the use of avidin-labeled complexes (Bugawanefrz/., 1990 Lloyd etal., 1990). Direct detection of hybridized probes can be accomplished, in a manner similar to that for LAB, by incubating with an avidin-enzyme conjugate followed by substrate development. BRAB-like and ABC-like assays also can be utilized to further enhance a DNA probe signal (Chapter 17, Section 2.3). 

These applications require the use of FON probes resistant to nucleases. ONs with modified backbones such as oligo-2 -0-methyl-2 -deoxyribonucleotides (19), oligo-a-deoxy ribonucleotides (29), peptide nucleic acids (33) and locked nucleic acids (LNA) (50) (Fig. 4) are often used because of the commercially available building blocks. They form, with the RNA targets, hybrids that are not RNAse H substrates unless they can stimulate degradation of the targets rather than report on their presence. 

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