Motif-specific probes identify individual genes and detect somatic mutations

This report describes the correlation between motif-specific hybridization and necleotide sequence as an approach to the identification of individual human V-H genes using motif-specific oligonucleotide probes, complementary to specific motifs within individual V-H genes. The sensitivity of the hybridization and post washing processes permits discrimination of single nucleotide differences between probe and target. This feature is used both to identify individual genes, as well as to detect mutations in genes by sequential hybridization with multiple probes. In addition to the general strategy, specific details are provided for the identification of 12 V(H)3 genes and 14 V(H)4 genes. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.