High resolution single strand conformation polymorphism analysis using formamide and ethidium bromide staining.

doi:10.1136/mp.50.5.276

Mol Path

1997;50:276-278 doi:10.1136/mp.50.5.276

Research Article

High resolution single strand conformation polymorphism analysis using formamide and ethidium bromide staining.

University Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

Abstract

Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis using ethidium bromide can be improved by adding formamide as the denaturant. This gives higher resolution than previous SSCP methods; it had 100% sensitivity in the discrimination of 14 PCR samples from two different genes, even for a long fragment close to the upper limit of 250 base pairs. This modified procedure is a rapid, simple, safe, and yet highly sensitive method for detecting structural differences in DNA fragments.