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M H Polymeropoulos

Publications and source records attributed to M H Polymeropoulos.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Eliminating mitochondrial DNA competition for nuclear DNA primers.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences were synthesized with nuclear DNA (nucDNA) sequence-tagged site (STS) primers by mismatch priming in three independent studies of the human nuclear genome. Mismatch primer binding sites on the mtDNA were identified with from 6- to 10-bp identity at the 3' ends of the primers. In two of three cases, single-stranded mtDNA copies were gel-isolated with intended nucDNA PCR products. During routine screening of the STSs, the radiolabeled gel-isolated products hybridized to polymorphic mtDNA restriction fragments. Intense signals after overnight exposure of radiolabeled PCR probes on Southern blots suggest contaminating mtDNA PCR products. The theoretical annealing temperatures of the mismatches were well below the annealing temperatures of the PCR primers, demonstrating annealing reactions driven by the molar surplus of the primers, that is, mass action. The probability that two primers (either one of a pair or both), designed to amplify nucDNA, will bind to and amplify mtDNA may be as high as 1 in 64, assuming that an identical match with only the 3' hexanucleotide is sufficient for amplification. To circumvent this problem we have developed OLIGFIND, a program that has identified the 104 of 4096 possible hexamers that are not present in human mtDNA. Our results suggest that time could be saved by designing STS primers with one of these 104 hexamers at the 3' end. OLIGFIND can also evaluate primer 3' ends for potential PCR products from mtDNA.

Base Sequence↗

Chromosomal assignment of 46 brain cDNAs.

Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) have been obtained from several hundred brain cDNAs as an initial effort to characterize expressed brain genes. These ESTs will become tools for human genome mapping and they will also provide candidate causative genes for inherited disorders affecting the central nervous system. We have developed a procedure for the rapid chromosomal assignment of these ESTs: cDNA sequences are first analyzed by a computer program to determine regions likely not to be interrupted by introns in the genomic DNA. A pair of oligonucleotide primers is then designed to amplify this region by the polymerase chain reaction using DNA template from human-rodent somatic cell hybrid chromosomal panels. The chromosomal assignment of the cDNA is determined by studying the segregation of the amplified products in these panels. In this paper we describe the mapping of 46 brain ESTs, as well as observations on the amplification of rodent sequences.

Animals↗

Single pass sequencing and physical and genetic mapping of human brain cDNAs.

We have performed single pass sequencing of 1,024 human brain cDNAs, over 900 of which seem to represent new human genes. Library prescreening with total brain cDNA significantly reduced repeated sequencing of highly represented cDNAs. A subset of sequenced cDNAs were physically mapped to their chromosomal locations using gene-specific STS primers derived from 3' untranslated regions. We have also determined that human brain cDNAs represent a rich source of gene-associated polymorphic markers. Microsatellite-containing cDNAs can be physically mapped and converted to highly informative genetic markers, thus facilitating integration of the human physical, expression and genetic maps.

Base Sequence↗