title: PCR amplification of specific alleles: rapid detection of known mutations and polymorphisms.
abstract: We review a method termed PCR Amplification of Specific Alleles (PASA), a generally applicable technique for the detection of known point mutations, small deletions and insertions, polymorphisms and other sequence variations. PASA is a modification of PCR that depends on the synthesis of a PCR oligonucleotide primer that precisely matches with one of the alleles but mismatches with the other. When the mismatch occurs near the 3' end of the PCR primer, amplification is inefficient. Therefore, preferential amplification of the perfectly matched allele is obtained. The method should be generally applicable as our results indicate that with proper optimization all possible alleles can be reliably distinguished. The ease and technical simplicity of PASA make genetic analyses more accessible. PASA can be also adapted to accommodate specific requirements and can be extended by incorporating other techniques. Moreover, PASA shows promise for population screening because the technique is rapid, highly reproducible, inexpensive, nonisotopic, and amendable to automation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Bottema
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000032:analysis; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D005164:Factor IX / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium; D008297:Male; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes / Q000032:analysis; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000235:genetics; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D019914:Taq Polymerase; D013698:Templates, Genetic
chemical_list: D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D005164:Factor IX; D019914:Taq Polymerase; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D008274:Magnesium