Compositions and methods for performing hybridizations with separate denaturation of the sample and probe

1. A method of hybridizing nucleic acid sequences comprising:

providing a first nucleic acid sequence within a sample having a preserved cell morphology, with a first composition comprising at least one polar aprotic solvent in an amount effective to denature a double-stranded nucleotide sequence while preserving cell morphology, and at least 10% dextran sulfate,

providing a second nucleic acid composition comprising a second nucleic acid sequence and a second aqueous composition comprising at least one denaturing agent in an amount effective to denature double-stranded nucleotide sequences, and

combining the first and the second nucleic acid sequence compositions for at least a time period sufficient to hybridize the first and second nucleic acid sequences such that the cell morphology is preserved,

wherein the polar aprotic solvent is not dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

2. A method of hybridizing nucleic acid sequences comprising:

providing a first nucleic acid sequence, within a sample having a preserved cell morphology, with a first composition comprising at least one polar aprotic solvent in an amount effective to denature a double-stranded nucleotide sequence while preserving cell morphology, and at least 10% dextran sulfate, and

combining said first nucleic acid composition with a second nucleic acid composition comprising a second nucleic acid sequence and at least one denaturing agent in an amount effective to denature double-stranded nucleotide sequences for at least a time period sufficient to hybridize the first and second nucleic acid sequences such that the cell morphology is preserved,

wherein the polar aprotic solvent is not dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

3. A method of hybridizing nucleic acid sequences comprising:

providing a first nucleic acid sequence within a sample having a preserved cell morphology, with a composition comprising at least one polar aprotic solvent in an amount effective to denature a double-stranded nucleotide sequence while preserving cell morphology, and at least 10% dextran sulfate, and

combining said nucleic acid composition with a second nucleic acid sequence for at least a time period sufficient to hybridize the first and second nucleic acid sequences such that the cell morphology is preserved,

wherein the polar aprotic solvent is not dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the denaturing agent in the second nucleic acid composition is a polar aprotic solvent.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first nucleic acid sequence within the sample is a biological sample.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the biological sample is a cytology or histology sample.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first nucleic acid sequence within the sample is a single stranded sequence and

the second nucleic acid sequence is a double stranded sequence.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first nucleic acid sequence within the sample is a double stranded sequence and

the second nucleic acid sequence is a single stranded sequence.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first nucleic acid sequence within the sample is a double stranded sequence and

the second nucleic acid sequence is a double stranded sequence.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first nucleic acid sequence within the sample is a single stranded sequence and

the second nucleic acid sequence is a single stranded sequence.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein: (a) a sufficient amount of energy to hybridize the first and second nucleic acids within the sample is provided, (b) a sufficient amount of energy to denature the first nucleic acid within the sample is provided, and/or (c) a sufficient amount of energy to denature the second nucleic acid is provided.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the energy is provided by heating the compositions.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the heating step is performed by the use of microwaves, hot baths, hot plates, heat wire, peltier element, induction heating or heat lamps.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the temperature for denaturing the first nucleic acid within the sample is 70° C. to 85° C.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the temperature for denaturing the second nucleic acid is 70° C. to 85° C.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the temperature for denaturing the first nucleic acid within the sample is 60° C. to 75° C.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the temperature for denaturing the second nucleic acid is 60° C. to 75° C.

18. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the temperature for denaturing the first nucleic acid within the sample is 62° C., 67° C., 72° C., or 82° C.

19. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the temperature for denaturing the second nucleic acid is 62° C., 67° C., 72° C., or 82° C.

20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a sufficient amount of time to denature the first nucleic acid within the sample and/or the second nucleic acid is provided.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the time is 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or 30 minutes.

22. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of hybridizing includes the steps of heating and cooling the compositions.

23. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of hybridization takes less than 8 hours.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the step of hybridization takes less than 1 hour.

25. The method according to claim 24 , wherein the step of hybridization takes less than 30 minutes.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the step of hybridization takes less than 15 minutes.

27. The method according to claim 26 , wherein the step of hybridization takes less than 5 minutes.

28. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a blocking step.

29. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of polar aprotic solvent in the nucleic acid composition(s) is about 1% to 90% (v/v).

30. The method according to claim 29 , wherein the concentration of polar aprotic solvent is 5% to 10% (v/v).

31. The method according to claim 29 , wherein the concentration of polar aprotic solvent is 10% to 20% (v/v).

32. The method according to claim 29 , wherein the concentration of polar aprotic solvent is 20% to 30% (v/v).

33. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the polar aprotic solvent in the nucleic acid composition(s) is non-toxic.

34. The method according to claim 1 , with the proviso that the nucleic acid composition(s) do not contain formamide.

35. The method according to claim 1 , with the proviso that the nucleic acid composition(s) contain less than 10% formamide.

36. The method according to claim 35 , with the proviso that the nucleic acid composition(s) contain less than 2% formamide.

37. The method according to claim 36 , with the proviso that the nucleic acid composition(s) contains less than 1% formamide.

38. The method according to any of claim 1 , wherein the polar aprotic solvent in the nucleic acid composition(s) has lactone, sulfone, nitrile, sulfite, and/or carbonate functionality.

39. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the polar aprotic solvent in the nucleic acid composition(s) has a dispersion solubility parameter between 17.7 to 22.0 MPa 1/2 , a polar solubility parameter between 13 to 23 MPa 1/2 and a hydrogen bonding solubility parameter between 3 to 13 MPa 1/2 .

40. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the polar aprotic solvent in the nucleic acid composition(s) has a cyclic base structure.

41. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the polar aprotic solvent in the nucleic acid composition(s) is selected from the group consisting of:

where X is 0 and R 1 is alkyldiyl, and

where X is optional and if present, is chosen from 0 or S,

where Z is optional and if present, is chosen from 0 or S,

where A and B independently are 0 or N or S or part of the alkyldiyl or a primary amine,

where R is alkyldiyl, and

wherein Y is O, S, or C, and wherein if Y is C, then either X or Z is not present.

42. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the polar aprotic solvent in the nucleic acid composition(s) is selected from the group consisting of:

43. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the polar aprotic solvent in the nucleic acid composition(s) is:

44. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid composition(s) further comprise at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of: buffering agents, salts, accelerating agents, chelating agents, detergents, and blocking agents.

45. The method according to claim 44 , wherein the salt is NaCl and/or the buffering agent is phosphate buffer.

46. The method according to claim 45 , wherein the dextran sulfate is present at a concentration of 10% to 40%, the NaCl is present at a concentration of 0 mM to 1200 mM, and/or the phosphate buffer is present at a concentration of 0 mM to 50 mM.

47. The method according to claim 46 , wherein the dextran sulfate is present at a concentration of 10% to 30%, the NaCl is present at a concentration of 300 mM to 600 mM, and/or the phosphate buffer is present at a concentration of 5 mM to 20 mM.

48. The method according to claim 44 , wherein the accelerating agent is selected from the group consisting of: formamide, DMSO, glycerol, propylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycol, and 1,3 propanediol, and the buffering agent is citric acid buffer.

49. The method according to claim 48 , wherein the formamide is present at a concentration of 0.1-5%, the DMSO is present at a concentration of 0.01% to 10%,

the glycerol, propylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycol, or 1,3 propanediol are present at a concentration of 0.1% to 10%, and the citric acid buffer is present at a concentration of 1 mM to 50 mM.

50. The method according to claim 44 , wherein the blocking agent is selected from the group consisting of: total human DNA, herring sperm DNA, salmon sperm DNA, and calf thymus DNA.

51. The method according to claim 50 , wherein the total human DNA, herring sperm DNA, salmon sperm DNA, or calf thymus DNA are present at a concentration of 0.01 to 10 μg/μL.

52. The method according to claim 44 , wherein the nucleic acid composition(s) comprise 40% of at least one polar aprotic solvent, 10% dextran sulfate, 300 mM NaCl, and/or 5 mM phosphate buffer.

53. The method according to claim 44 , wherein the nucleic acid composition(s) comprise 15% of at least one polar aprotic solvent, 20% dextran sulfate, 600 mM NaCl, and/or 10 mM phosphate buffer.

54. The method according to claim 44 , wherein the nucleic acid composition(s) comprise 15% of at least one polar aprotic solvent, 20% dextran sulfate, 600 mM NaCl, and 10 mM citric acid buffer pH 6.2.

55. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid composition(s) comprise one phase at room temperature.

56. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid composition(s) comprise multiple phases at room temperature.

57. The method according to claim 56 , wherein the nucleic acid composition(s) comprise two phases at room temperature.

58. The method according to claim 56 , wherein the phases of the nucleic acid composition(s) are mixed.

59. An aqueous composition for performing separate denaturation of a target in a hybridization application within a sample having a preserved cell morphology, said composition comprising at least one polar aprotic solvent in an amount effective to denature a double-stranded nucleotide sequence while preserving cell morphology and at least 10% dextran, wherein the polar aprotic solvent is not dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

60. Method of denaturing a target within a sample having a preserved cell morphology comprising combining the target within the sample with a composition comprising between 1 and 90% (v/v) of at least one polar aprotic solvent and at least 10% dextran sulfate, wherein the polar aprotic solvent is not dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), wherein the at least one polar aprotic solvent denatures the target while preserving cell morphology.

61. A kit for performing a hybridization assay comprising:

a first aqueous composition according to claim 59 ; and

a second aqueous composition comprising at least one nucleic acid sequence.