Biomarker panel and methods for detecting microsatellite instability in cancers

1. A method comprising:

(a) performing an amplification reaction on a set of target nucleic acid regions from a biological sample from a subject,

wherein the target nucleic acid regions, as mapped to the GRCh38/hg38 human reference genome (“reference genome”), consist of:

human DIDO1 gene starting at position chr20:62,905,340 and encompassing a DIDO1 homopolymeric repeat region, the homopolymeric repeat region comprising 11 consecutive adenines in the reference genome;

(ii) human MRE11 gene and starting at position chr11:94,479,765, and encompassing a MRE11 homopolymeric repeat region, the homopolymeric repeat region comprising 11 consecutive adenines in the reference genome;

(iii) human SULF2 gene and starting at position chr20:47,657,577 and encompassing a SULF2 homopolymeric repeat region, the homopolymeric repeat region comprising 10 consecutive adenines in the reference genome;

(iv) human ACVR2A gene and starting at position chr2:147,926,117 and encompassing an ACVR2A homopolymeric repeat region, the homopolymeric repeat region comprising 8 consecutive adenines in the reference genome;

(v) human SEC31A gene and starting at position chr4:82,864,412 and encompassing a SEC31A homopolymeric repeat region, the homopolymeric repeat region comprising 9 consecutive thymines in the reference genome;

(vi) human BTBD7 gene and starting at position chr14:93,241,685 and encompassing a BTBD7 homopolymeric repeat region, the homopolymeric repeat region comprising 10 consecutive adenines in the reference genome;

(vii) human RYR3 gene and starting at position chr15:33,865,341 and encompassing a RYR3 homopolymeric repeat region, the homopolymeric repeat region comprising 10 consecutive adenines in the reference genome;

wherein the set of target nucleic acid regions to be amplified is selected from:

Set I: target nucleic acid regions i-iv;

Set II: target nucleic acid regions i-iv, and one of target nucleic acid regions v-vii;

Set III: target nucleic acid regions i-iv; and two of target nucleic acid regions v-vii; and

Set IV: target nucleic acid regions i-vii;

wherein if the biological sample comprises a colorectal cancer sample or a suspected colorectal cancer sample, any one of sets i-iv is selected;

wherein if the biological sample comprises a gastric cancer sample or a suspected gastric cancer sample, or an endometrial cancer sample or a suspected endometrial cancer sample, set iv is selected;

wherein the step of amplifying comprises, for each target region, at least one amplification primer and at least one molecular beacon probe, each molecular beacon probe designed to hybridize to one of the target regions of the set and comprising a different number of consecutive adenines than the reference target sequence for which it is designed;

(b) generating melting curve data based on the amplification reaction of (a);

(c) applying wavelet transform on the melting curve data generated in (b) to determine the number of consecutive adenines or thymines in the homopolymeric repeats of the target regions in the subject sample.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one amplification primer is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-4 and 7-10.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one molecular beacon probe is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 15, 16, 18, or 19.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one amplification primer is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-14.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one molecular beacon probe is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 15-21.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, sequentially or in parallel, performing steps (a)-(c) on a control biological sample comprising nucleic acid derived from HTC116c1.110268743 cell line.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of amplifying comprises at least one duplex amplification of a pair of homopolymeric repeats, or mutated forms thereof, said pair being selected from the following combinations:

duplex amplification of

the homopolymeric repeat comprising 11 consecutive adenines localized to human DIDO1 gene and starting at position chr20:62,905,340

together with

the homopolymeric repeat comprising 11 consecutive adenines localized to human MRE11 gene and starting at position chr11:94,479,765

duplex amplification of

the homopolymeric repeat comprising 8 consecutive adenines localized to human ACVR2A gene and starting at position chr2:147,926,117;

together with

the homopolymeric repeat comprising 9 consecutive thymines localized to human SEC31A gene and starting at position chr4:82,864,412; and

duplex amplification of

the homopolymeric repeat comprising 10 consecutive adenines localized to human BTBD7 gene and starting at position chr14:93,241,685;

together with

homopolymeric repeat comprising 10 consecutive adenines localized to human SULF2 gene and starting at position chr20:47,657,577.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample from the subject comprises a stage I colorectal tumor sample.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed at least in part by an automated system that comprises a console and an instrument compatible with a reusable cartridge.