title: Towards fast and inexpensive molecular diagnostic: the case of TP53.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Much research suggests that TP53 mutations have prognostic importance and sometimes are a significant factor in clinical oncology. A considerable effort has been made to develop fast and inexpensive methods for TP53 mutations detection.
  
  
  METHODS
  On the basis of describing the role of TP53 as tumor suppressor gene and TP53 mutation spectrum, the authors discuss conventional methods and new technologies for TP53 mutations detection. This discussion is supported by more recent publications in the field of both molecular genetics and analysis technologies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biosensors and gene chips are of considerable recent interest, due to their tremendous promise for obtaining sequence-specific information in a faster, simpler and cheaper manner compared to traditional methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New methods such as biosensors and gene chips appear promising as analytical methods of detecting mutations.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, PR China.
authors.forename: Tieshan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minunni
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mascini
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques / Q000191:economics* / Q000295:instrumentation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53