title: Rapid carrier screening for beta-thalassemia by single-step allele-specific PCR and detection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate a rapid molecular carrier screening strategy for beta-thalassemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Allele-specific PCR was combined with amplicon detection by dissociation curve analysis of SYBR Green I fluorescence in a single step.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of a particular mutation results in the amplification of a mutation-specific product and the dissociation temperature of each amplicon was highly reproducible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Homogeneous allele-specific PCR amplification and detection of multiple beta-globin mutations can serve as a rapid and inexpensive carrier screening tool.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences and Chemical Technology, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore 599489, Singapore.
authors.forename: Dollyn Liying
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Quek
authors.forename: Yen-Yek
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Arnold S C
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Guek-Im
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Tang-Lim
authors.forename: Ivy S L
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Hai-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Samuel S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chong
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening / Q000379:methods*; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*