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Development and validation of a real-time PCR method to quantify rumen protozoa and examination of variability between entodinium populations in sheep offered a hay-based diet.

PCR and real-time PCR primers for the 18S rRNA gene of rumen protozoa (Entodinium and Dasytricha spp.) were designed, and their specificities were tested against a range of rumen microbes and protozoal groups. External standards were prepared from DNA extracts of a rumen matrix containing known numbers and species of protozoa. The efficiency of PCR (epsilon) was calculated following amplification of serial dilutions of each standard and was used to calculate the numbers of protozoa in each sample collected; serial dilutions of DNA were used similarly to calculate PCR efficiency. Species of Entodinium, the most prevalent of the rumen protozoa, were enumerated in rumen samples collected from 100 1-year-old merino wethers by microscopy and real-time PCR. Both the counts developed by the real-time PCR method and microscopic counts were accurate and repeatable, with a strong correlation between them (R2= 0.8), particularly when the PCR efficiency was close to optimal (i.e., two copies per cycle). The advantages and disadvantages of each procedure are discussed. Entodinium represented on average 98% of the total protozoa, and populations within the same sheep were relatively stable, but greater variation occurred between different sheep (10(0) and 10(6) entodinia per gram of rumen contents). With this inherent variability, it was estimated that, to detect a statistically significant (P = 0.05) 20% change in Entodinium populations, 52 sheep per treatment group would be required.

Animals↗

Chromosome distribution of intracisternal A-particle sequences in the Syrian hamster and mouse.

Metaphase chromosomes of Syrian hamster and BALB/c mice were hybridized in situ with radiolabeled probes derived from cloned intracisternal A-particle (IAP) genes of the corresponding species. The DNAs of these species are known to contain about 900 and 1,000 copies, respectively, of the retrovirus-like IAP sequence elements per haploid genome. Multiple IAP sequences were found on all chromosomes of both hamster and mouse. In the hamster, more than half of the IAP sequences were located in regions of non-centromeric constitutive heterochromatin, at an average concentration per unit chromosome length 5 times greater than in the euchromatic regions. The other dispersed sequences showed marked local variations in concentration along the chromosome lengths; both discrete foci and large grain clusters were observed as well as regions apparently lacking IAP sequences. Within the resolution of the techniques, IAP sequences appeared to be more evenly distributed over the mouse chromosomes; however, some prominent variations in concentration were seen. The number of potentially active IAP genes in the Syrian hamster, and by extension in the mouse, may be restricted by the preferential location of IAP sequences in genetically inert regions of the genome.

Animals↗

Optimization of electroporation conditions for Mycobacterium avium.

Successful transformation and subsequent genetic manipulation of Mycobacterium avium requires suitable vectors, efficient transformation systems, and reliable selectable markers. A systematic analysis of the parameters involved in the transformation of M. avium was performed to optimize DNA transfer. Factors examined included the composition of the growth medium, growth medium additives, variations in washing of the bacteria prior to electroporation, and conditions of electroporation. Of the parameters assayed, the frequency of transformation (defined as the number of transformants per 10(6) transformed bacteria) showed the greatest increase with the addition of 1.5% glycine to the M. avium culture medium and the use of higher concentrations of plasmid DNA. The addition of 0.5 M sucrose to the growth medium and wash solution yielded a modest increase in transformation frequency, but more importantly afforded greater consistency of results between different batches of cells with no decrease in transformation yields following freezing and thawing. We also confirmed that gfp could be used as a selective marker for M. avium, even as a single copy integrant, and allowed for rapid discrimination between false and true transformants. Using this protocol, we were able to transform nine of 11 clinical strains of M. avium.

Culture Media↗

Quantification of HTLV-II proviral copies by competitive polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of Italian injecting drug users, central Africans, and Amerindians.

To better correlate the burden of human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and type II (HTLV-II) infection with diagnostic and prognostic markers, we developed a new competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the quantitative determination of proviral copy numbers in infected cells. A competitive plasmid was constructed that carried a 112-bp fragment from a highly conserved region of the HTLV tax gene and that was further modified by inserting a sequence of 24 bp. This competitive PCR assay system can be used for the quantification of HTLV-I and HTLV-II proviral DNA as demonstrated by using HTLV-I- and HTLV-II-infected cell lines and/or patient material. We determined the HTLV-II proviral load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 11 Italian injecting drug users (IDUs) infected by this virus and in PBMCs of 10 seropositive Amerindian and Central African individuals from endemically infected ethnic groups. A great variation was observed in the number of HTLV-II proviral sequences in the PBMCs of Italian drug abusers, ranging from 5-10 to 16,239 copies/10(5) cells. There was no clear-cut correlation between proviral load, CD8 count, stage of HIV-1 infection, and therapy. A considerable variation in HTLV-II proviral load was also observed in PBMCs of Amerindians and Central Africans with no correlation between the amount of HTLV-II provirus and the geographic origin of the infected individuals.

Adolescent↗

L -dopa-induced adverse effects in PD and dopamine transporter gene polymorphism.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether polymorphisms in the dopamine receptor genes and in the dopamine transporter gene (DAT ) are predictors of adverse effects of L -dopa. METHODS: A retrospective noninterventional study with 183 patients with PD was conducted. Nine polymorphisms of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2 ), two of the dopamine D3 receptor (DRD3 ), three of the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4 ), and one variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) of the DAT were studied. The entire coding and promoter regions of the DRD2 gene of 48 patients with early and severe appearance of adverse effects from L -dopa treatment and of eight never-afflicted patients were sequenced. RESULTS: The polymorphisms of DRD2, DRD3, and DRD4 were not associated with the risk to develop adverse effects of L -dopa. However, patients with psychosis or dyskinesia carried the nine copy allele 40-bp VNTR of the DAT more frequently than nonafflicted patients (60.0 vs 36.8%, p = 0.008; and 54.7 vs 32.9%, p = 0.006). Sequencing of the DRD2 gene revealed no new mutation, with the exception of one silent mutation in exon 6. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic variations of the DRD2, DRD3, and DRD4 do not influence the occurrence of L -dopa-induced adverse effects. However, the nine copy allele 40-bp VNTR of the DAT is a predictor for the occurrence of psychosis or dyskinesia in L -dopa-treated patients.

Aged↗

Inorganic polyphosphate supports resistance and survival of stationary-phase Escherichia coli.

The Escherichia coli mutant (ppk) lacking the enzyme polyphosphate kinase, which makes long chains of inorganic polyphosphate (poly P), is deficient in functions expressed in the stationary phase of growth. After 2 days of growth in a medium limited in carbon sources, only 7% of the mutants survived compared with nearly 100% of the wild type; the loss in viability of the mutant was even more pronounced in a rich medium. The mutant showed a greater sensitivity to heat, to an oxidant (H2O2), to a redox-cycling agent (menadione), and to an osmotic challenge with 2.5 M NaCl. After a week or so in the stationary phase, mutant survivors were far fewer in number and were replaced by an outgrowth of a small-colony-size variant with a stable genotype and with improved viability and resistance to heat and H2O2; neither polyphosphate kinase nor long-chain poly P was restored. Suppression of the ppk feature of heat sensitivity by extra copies of rpoS, the gene encoding the RNA polymerase sigma factor that regulates some 50 stationary-phase genes, further implicates poly P in promoting survival in the stationary phase.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Allelic variation at the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene is associated with early postmenopausal bone loss at the spine.

Genetic factors play an important role in determining bone mineral density (BMD) in later life, with the genetic influence mediated through effects on both peak mass and on age- and menopause-related bone loss. At menopause there is an increase in the production and activity of various cytokines and growth factors within the bone microenvironment. The activity of interleukin-1 (IL-1), a powerful stimulant of osteoclastic bone resorption, is increased in estrogen-deficient states with increased production of IL-1 and inhibition of the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). Treatment with IL-1ra blocks the bone loss associated with ovariectomy in animals and the IL-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL-1RN) is therefore a potential candidate gene for the regulation of postmenopausal bone loss. We examined the relationship between annual rates of change in BMD over 5 years and an 86 bp variable number tandem-repeat polymorphism of the IL-1RN gene in 108 early postmenopausal women. All women were within 5 years of a natural menopause at the study's onset, healthy, and not on hormone replacement therapy or other medication known to affect bone metabolism. BMD was measured annually over the 5 year study period at the lumbar spine and femoral neck using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Three alleles were identified (A1 = 4 repeats, A2 = 2 repeats, A3 = 5 repeats), with five genotypes observed: A1A1 (41.7%), A1A2 (45.4%), A2A2 (6.5%), A1A3 (2.8%), and A2A3 (3.7%). For analysis, alleles were collapsed into a biallelic system grouping the A1 and A3 alleles. There was no significant relationship between the IL-1RN genotypes and baseline bone mass at either the spine or hip. IL-1RN genotype was significantly associated with annual rates of change in spinal bone mass (p < 0.05), and this finding remained significant after adjustment for age, weight, and baseline BMD. Carriage of at least one copy of the A2 allele was associated with reduced bone loss at the spine (mean change in BMD +/- SD: -0.81 +/- 1.46%/year) when compared with noncarriage of the A2 allele (mean change -1.38 +/- 1.48%/year), p = 0.05. We therefore conclude that allelic variation at the IL-1RN locus is associated with differential rates of early postmenopausal bone loss at the spine. Further research will be required to clarify the mechanisms underlying these findings and to determine whether this association translates into a significant long-term effect on BMD and fracture in later life.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Two-dimensional electrophoretic separation of yeast proteins using a non-linear wide range (pH 3-10) immobilized pH gradient in the first dimension; reproducibility and evidence for isoelectric focusing of alkaline (pI > 7) proteins.

The proteome of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was analysed by two-dimensional (2D) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis utilizing a non-linear immobilized pH gradient (3-10) in the first-dimensional separation. Cells were labelled by [35S]methionine incorporation in the respiro-fermentative phase during exponential growth on glucose. Gels were run, visualized with phosphoimager technology and all resolved proteins automatically quantified. Proteins were well resolved over the whole pH interval, and evidence for isoelectric focusing on the basic side of the pattern was generated by sequencing of some spots, revealing the 2D positions of Tef1p, Pgk1p, Gpm1p, Tdh1p and Shm2p. Roughly 25% of the spots were resolved at the alkaline side of the pattern (pI > 7). The position reproducibility was high and in the range 1-2 mm in the x- and y-dimension, respectively. No quantitative variation was linked to a certain size or charge class of resolved proteins, and the average quantitative standard deviation was 17 +/- 11%. The obtained immobilized pH gradient based pattern could easily be compared to the old ampholine-based 2D pattern, and the previously reported identifications could thus be transferred. Our yeast pattern currently contains 43 known proteins, all identified by protein sequencing. Utilizing these identified proteins, relevant pI and Mr scales in the pattern were constructed. Normalization of the expression of identified spots by compensating for the number of methionine residues a protein contains allowed stoichiometric comparisons. The most dominant proteins under these growth conditions were Tdh3p, Fba1p, Eno2p and Tef1p/Tef2p, all being expressed at more than 500,000 copies per cell. The differential carbon source response during exponential growth on either glucose, galactose or ethanol was examined for the alkaline proteins identified by micro-sequencing in this study.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Quantitative analysis of comparative genomic hybridization.

Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is a new molecular cytogenetic method for the detection of chromosomal imbalances. Following cohybridization of DNA prepared from a sample to be studied and control DNA to normal metaphase spreads, probes are detected via different fluorochromes. The ratio of the test and control fluorescence intensities along a chromosome reflects the relative copy number of segments of a chromosome in the test genome. Quantitative evaluation of CGH experiments is required for the determination of low copy changes, e.g., monosomy or trisomy, and for the definition of the breakpoints involved in unbalanced rearrangements. In this study, a program for quantitation of CGH preparations is presented. This program is based on the extraction of the fluorescence ratio profile along each chromosome, followed by averaging of individual profiles from several meta phase spreads. Objective parameters critical for quantitative evaluations were tested, and the criteria for selection of suitable CGH preparations are described. The granularity of the chromosome painting and the regional inhomogeneity of fluorescence intensities in metaphase spreads proved to be crucial parameters. The coefficient of variation of the ratio value for chromosomes in balanced state (CVBS) provides a general quality criterion for CGH experiments. Different cutoff levels (thresholds) of average fluorescence ratio values were compared for their specificity and sensitivity with regard to the detection of chromosomal imbalances.

Chromosome Banding↗

Evolution of the RNA polymerase B' subunit gene (rpoB') in Halobacteriales: a complementary molecular marker to the SSU rRNA gene.

Many prokaryotes have multiple ribosomal RNA operons. Generally, sequence differences between small subunit (SSU) rRNA genes are minor (<1%) and cause little concern for phylogenetic inference or environmental diversity studies. For Halobacteriales, an order of extremely halophilic, aerobic Archaea, within-genome SSU rRNA sequence divergence can exceed 5%, rendering phylogenetic assignment problematic. The RNA polymerase B' subunit gene (rpoB') is a single-copy conserved gene that may be an appropriate alternative phylogenetic marker for Halobacteriales. We sequenced a fragment of the rpoB' gene from 21 species, encompassing 15 genera of Halobacteriales. To examine the utility of rpoB' as a phylogenetic marker in Halobacteriales, we investigated three properties of rpoB' trees: the variation in resolution between trees inferred from the rpoB' DNA and RpoB' protein alignment, the degree of mutational saturation between taxa, and congruence with the SSU rRNA tree. The rpoB' DNA and protein trees were for the most part congruent and consistently recovered two well-supported monophyletic groups, the clade I and clade II haloarchaea, within a collection of less well resolved Halobacteriales lineages. A comparison of observed versus inferred numbers of substitution revealed mutational saturation in the rpoB' DNA data set, particularly between more distant species. Thus, the RpoB' protein sequence may be more reliable than the rpoB' DNA sequence for inferring Halobacteriales phylogeny. AU tests of tree selection indicated the trees inferred from rpoB' DNA and protein alignments were significantly incongruent with the SSU rRNA tree. We discuss possible explanations for this incongruence, including tree reconstruction artifact, differential paralog sampling, and lateral gene transfer. This is the first study of Halobacteriales evolution based on a marker other than the SSU rRNA gene. In addition, we present a valuable phylogenetic framework encompassing a broad diversity of Halobacteriales, in which novel sequences can be inserted for evolutionary, ecological, or taxonomic investigations.

Base Sequence↗

The role of a repetitive DNA motif (5'-CAAT-3') in the variable expression of the Haemophilus influenzae lipopolysaccharide epitope alpha Gal(1-4)beta Gal.

Haemophilus influenzae lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contains structures, defined by monoclonal antibodies, which undergo phase variation. This investigation reports the nucleotide sequence of lic2A, which is required for the expression of at least three phase-variable LPS epitopes, one of which has the structure alpha Gal(1-4)beta Gal. lic2A contains multiple tandem repeats of the tetramer 5'-CAAT-3'. Previous studies have correlated changes in the number of 5'-CAAT-3' repeats with the phase-variable expression of the alpha Gal(1-4)beta Gal epitope. To obtain direct evidence for this, the 5'-CAAT-3' repeat region from lic2A was amplified directly from immunostained colonies and sequenced. This demonstrated that the variable expression of LPS epitopes, including alpha Gal(1-4)beta Gal, is in part directly dependent upon the number of copies of 5'-CAAT-3' within lic2A.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Inactivation of the Moloney murine leukemia virus long terminal repeat in murine fibroblast cell lines is associated with methylation and dependent on its chromosomal position.

The expression of a retroviral vector with the Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MuLV) long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter after integration into the genome of murine fibroblast cell lines was monitored with the Escherichia coli-derived beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) gene as the reporter. Monoclonal cell lines derived after retroviral infection exhibited a marked heterogeneity in their expression of the reporter gene. We studied two monoclonal cell lines with a single unrearranged copy of the vector provirus integrated into their genome. The first, BB10, expressed the marker enzyme in only 8% of its cell population, whereas in the second, BB16, beta-gal expression could be detected in over 98% of the cells. Treatment of BB10 with the DNA-demethylating agent 5-azacytidine raised the number of beta-gal-positive cells to over 60%. Transfection experiments showed that the Mo-MuLV LTR promoter-enhancer is potentially fully functional in both the BB10 and BB16 cell lines. The inactivated provirus from BB10 cells was cloned and subsequently used to generate retrovirus stocks. The promoter-enhancer activity of its LTR after infection with these BB10-derived viruses showed a variation similar to that of the original virus stocks. Our data showed that (1) inactivation of the Mo-MuLV LTR is a frequent event in murine fibroblast cell lines, (2) inactivation is associated with de novo methylation of cytidine residues, (3) the frequency of inactivation of the provirus must be determined by its chromosomal position, (4) the process of methylation of sequences within the LTR is not necessarily the same as the transcription-repression mechanism that is operating in undifferentiated embryonal carcinoma cells.

Animals↗

Development of a semi-quantitative assay to detect full-length CYP2C19 RNA.

Cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) is the enzyme responsible for the metabolism of a number of drugs, including anticonvulsants and antidepressants. We have developed a semi-quantitative competitive RT-PCR assay to estimate the degree of expression of the full-length CYP2C19 message. This assay used a known quantity of internally deleted CYP2C19 RNA to quantitate the RT-PCR products of the CYP2C19 transcript in the RNA extracted from tissues. We determined that this method is sensitive and reproducible in assaying for CYP2C19 RNA in human livers. The lowest detectable amount of competitor RNA was 0.166 fg or 270 copies of CYP2C19 competitor RNA. Using human liver samples containing 3-23 x 10(5) copies of CYP2C19 RNA, we found the assay to be reproducible with a coefficient of intra- and interday variation of 11% and 20%, respectively. Using this assay, we measured full-length CYP2C19 RNA in 10 human livers. We found the CYP2C19 transcripts range from 0.1-23 x 10(5) copies/microgram liver total RNA. The analysis of CYP2C19 transcripts for liver of *1 and *2 genotypes, based on restriction enzyme digest analysis of RT-PCR products, suggests that only normal (*1), not the variant (*2) copy of full-length CYP2C19 RNA, was detectable in these livers. We report for the first time the quantification of full-length CYP2C19 RNA in livers.

Alleles↗

Ring chromosomes and low-grade gene amplification in an atypical lipomatous tumor with minimal nuclear atypia.

Atypical lipomatous tumors (ALTs) are characterized by supernumerary ring chromosomes and/or giant marker chromosomes, which typically are composed of interspersed, amplified 12q-sequences, are C-band negative, lack alpha-satellite sequences, and display high copy numbers of several oncogenes, including HMGA2 (a.k.a. HMGIC) and MDM2, from the 12q13-15 region. In the present study, we report the cytogenetic and molecular genetic findings in an ALT with minimal nuclear atypia from a 16-year-old boy. At G-banding analysis, 1-3 supernumerary ring chromosomes were detected. Combined binary ratio labeling fluorescence in situ hybridization (COBRA-FISH) showed that the rings were entirely composed of material from chromosome 12, and by further FISH analysis with locus-specific probes it was revealed that they consisted of two tandemly arranged copies of the segment 12p11.2-p13.2 to 12q21.2-q23.1. Within that segment of chromosome 12, there was a small deletion including the HMGA2 locus. There was no variation in ring size and no interphase bridges could be detected, indicating that the ring chromosomes were mitotically relatively stable. The present case thus adds support to the concept that there exists a subset of ALT with limited or minimal nuclear atypia and low-level amplification of 12q sequences, further suggesting the possibility of a molecular genetic continuum between lipoma and classical examples of ALT. Furthermore, the present data strongly imply that it is the composition of the rings rather than the ring chromosome formation as such that causes the genetic instability and nuclear atypia frequently seen in ALTs.

Adolescent↗

Functional analysis of the chimpanzee and human apo(a) promoter sequences: identification of sequence variations responsible for elevated transcriptional activity in chimpanzee.

Lp(a) concentrations vary considerably among individuals and are primarily determined by the apo(a) gene locus. We have previously shown that mean plasma Lp(a) levels in the chimpanzee are significantly higher than those observed in humans (Doucet, C., Huby, T., Chapman, J., and Thillet, J. (1994) J. Lipid Res 35, 263-270). To evaluate the possibility that this difference may result from a high level of expression of chimpanzee apo(a), we cloned and sequenced 1.4 kilobase (kb) of the 5'-flanking region of the gene and compared promoter activity to that of its human counterpart. Sequence analysis revealed 98% homology between chimpanzee and human apo(a) 5' sequences; among the differences observed, two involved polymorphic sites associated with Lp(a) levels in humans. The TTTTA repeat located 1.3 kb 5' of the apo(a) gene, present in a variable number of copies (n = 5-12) in humans, is uniquely present as four copies in the chimpanzee sequence. The second position concerns the +93 C>T polymorphism that creates an additional ATG start codon in the human apo(a) gene, thereby impairing translation efficiency. In chimpanzee, this position did not appear polymorphic, and a base difference at position +94 precluded the presence of an additional ATG. In transient transfection assays, the chimpanzee apo(a) promoter exhibited a 5-fold elevation in transcriptional activity as compared with its human counterpart. This marked difference in activity was maintained with either 1.4 kb of 5' sequence or the minimal promoter region -98 to +141 of the human and chimpanzee apo(a) genes. Using point mutational analyses, nucleotides present at positions -3, -2, and +8 (relative to the start site of transcription) were found to be essential for the high transcription efficiency of the chimpanzee apo(a) promoter. High transcriptional activity of the chimpanzee apo(a) gene may therefore represent a key factor in the elevated plasma Lp(a) levels characteristic of this non-human primate.

Animals↗

Likelihood analysis of the chalcone synthase genes suggests the role of positive selection in morning glories (Ipomoea).

Chalcone synthase (CHS) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of flavonoides, which are important for the pigmentation of flowers and act as attractants to pollinators. Genes encoding CHS constitute a multigene family in which the copy number varies among plant species and functional divergence appears to have occurred repeatedly. In morning glories (Ipomoea), five functional CHS genes (A-E) have been described. Phylogenetic analysis of the Ipomoea CHS gene family revealed that CHS A, B, and C experienced accelerated rates of amino acid substitution relative to CHS D and E. To examine whether the CHS genes of the morning glories underwent adaptive evolution, maximum-likelihood models of codon substitution were used to analyze the functional sequences in the Ipomoea CHS gene family. These models used the nonsynonymous/synonymous rate ratio (omega = d(N)/ d(S)) as an indicator of selective pressure and allowed the ratio to vary among lineages or sites. Likelihood ratio test suggested significant variation in selection pressure among amino acid sites, with a small proportion of them detected to be under positive selection along the branches ancestral to CHS A, B, and C. Positive Darwinian selection appears to have promoted the divergence of subfamily ABC and subfamily DE and is at least partially responsible for a rate increase following gene duplication.

Acyltransferases↗

Organization of the multiple genes for the 70,000-dalton heat-shock protein in Drosophila melanogaster.

The organization and number of 70,000-dalton heat-shock protein genes of Drosophila melanogaster has been investigated in a wild-type Oregon R fly stock and in a KC cell line. Six copies were found in the KC cells, and slightly more were found in the Oregon R population examined. In both cases, the basic gene element consisting of the mRNA coding region plus a short 5' "noncoding" sequence element was conserved. Two gene variants distinguished by specific restriction sites were found in both genomic DNAs. Restriction maps of the six genes in KC cells showed that these two gene variants are arranged differently. Restriction analysis of Oregon R embryonic DNA revealed polymorphism in the organization of the genes, which is not observed in KC cells. The data suggest that the arrangement as well as the number of genes for the 70,000-dalton heat-shock protein in D. melanogaster is subject to variations at both the 87A and 87C cytogenetic loci.

Animals↗

Genome coverage and sequence fidelity of phi29 polymerase-based multiple strand displacement whole genome amplification.

Major efforts are underway to systematically define the somatic and germline genetic variations causally associated with disease. Genome-wide genetic analysis of actual clinical samples is, however, limited by the paucity of genomic DNA available. Here we have tested the fidelity and genome representation of phi29 polymerase-based genome amplification (phi29MDA) using direct sequencing and high density oligonucleotide arrays probing >10,000 SNP alleles. Genome representation was comprehensive and estimated to be 99.82% complete, although six regions encompassing a maximum of 5.62 Mb failed to amplify. There was no degradation in the accuracy of SNP genotyping and, in direct sequencing experiments sampling 500,000 bp, the estimated error rate (9.5 x 10(-6)) was the same as in paired unamplified samples. The detection of cancer-associated loss of heterozygosity and copy number changes, including homozygous deletion and gene amplification, were similarly robust. These results suggest that phi29MDA yields high fidelity, near-complete genome representation suitable for high resolution genetic analysis.

Alleles↗