A single, multiplex analysis for all relevant activating NRAS gene mutations using heteroduplex generators

BELLI, CAROLINA; BOWEN, DERRICK; DE BRASI, CARLOS; LARRIPA, IRENE

BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY

Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Lugar: London; Año: 2004 vol. 126 p. 602 - 605

0007-1048

We describe a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based test that detected all relevant NRAS activating mutations using a single PCR followed directly by electrophoresis. The test uses a Universal Heteroduplex Generator (UHG) to detect exon-2 (codon 61) NRAS mutations in multiplex with an UHG for exon-1 (codons 12 and 13). The method differentiated all 19 relevant mutations in these exons and showed a mutation independent sensitivity of approximately 6%. The sensitive, specific detection of all NRAS activating mutations using this single rapid test represents a minimum workload and could be applied readily for large-scale screening and for routine analysis.