Mutation scanning array, and methods of use thereof

1. A method of using a mutation scanning array to identify mutation in a target DNA sequence, wherein said mutation scanning array comprises a plurality of elements, wherein the elements contain immobilized oligonucleotides 8–50 bases long, that collectively span at least 5 different genes, wherein said method comprises:

(a) hybridizing the target DNA sequence with a control DNA sequence wherein said control DNA sequence is the wild-type DNA sequence corresponding to the target DNA sequence to create a duplex, and wherein said target DNA comprises a pool of nucleotide segments that collectively span at least 5 different genes;

(b) digesting the duplex to fragments of 50–300 base pairs, with restriction enzymes that allow generic addition of PCR primers;

(c) adding PCR primers to the duplex

(d) treating the duplex to remove any spontaneous aldehydes;

(e) reacting the duplex with a repair glycosylase to convert any mismatched sites in the duplex to reactive sites containing an aldehyde-containing abasic site;

(f) reacting the duplex with a compound of the formula X—Z—Y, wherein X is a detectable moiety, Y is NHNH2, O—NH2 or NH2, and Z is a hydrocarbon, alkyhydroxy, alkylethoxy, alkylester, alkylether, alkylamide or alkylamine, wherein Z may be substituted or unsubstituted; or where Z may contain a cleavable group; for a sufficient time and under conditions to covalently bind to the reactive sites;

(g) detecting the bound compound to identify sites of mismatches;

(h) isolating the DNA that contains mismatches from DNA without mismatches;

(i) PCR-amplifying the mismatch-containing DNA

(j) applying the mismatch-containing DNA on the Mutation Scanning Array, to determine the genomic position(s) where mismatches occur; and

k) determining whether the mismatch is a mutation or polymorphism.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the detectable moiety is selected from the group consisting of NH 2 , SH, NHNH 2 , a fluorescein derivative, a hydroxycoumarin derivative, a rhodamine derivative, a BODIPY derivative, a digoxigenin derivative and a biotin derivative.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target DNA sequence comprises at least 5 genes, wherein each individual gene is represented by a set of oligonucleotides which collectively spans that individual whole gene from the 5′ to 3′ end.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the segments tagged with the detectable moiety are amplified before being used on the mutation scanning array.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each gene on the mutation scanning array is represented by array elements; each element containing immobilized oligonucleotides that sample in 25–300 bases for the whole 3′ to 5′ mRNA sequence of each represented gene.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the array genes is represented by the coding portion of the gene.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the array genes is represented by both the coding and non-coding genomic portions of a gene.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least 5 different array genes are collectively known to predispose an individual to a particular disease.

9. The method of claim 8 , where the disease is a particular kind of cancer.

10. The method of claim 8 , where the disease is a cardiovascular abnormality, or a neurodegenerative disorder, or diabetes.

11. The method of claim 9 , where said array genes are all known tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes.

12. The method of claim 1 , where said array genes are genes known to be overexpressed in a malignant cell, wherein overexpression is determined by comparison to the gene's expression in a corresponding non-malignant cell.