Amplification of padlock probes for DNA diagnostics by cascade rolling circle amplification or the polymerase chain reaction.

CONTEXT Padlock probes are highly specific reagents for DNA diagnostics that can discriminate gene sequences with single base mutations. When the 3' and 5' terminal regions of the oligonucleotide probes are juxtaposed on a target DNA sequence, they can be circularized by enzymatic ligation and become topologically locked to the target. However, to be useful in solution-based diagnostics, the sensitivity of padlock probes must be markedly enhanced. OBJECTIVE To describe two methods for geometric amplification of circularized padlock probes. DESIGN Cascade rolling circle amplification is an isothermal system that uses generic primers and a DNA polymerase with strong strand displacement activity to amplify circularized probes by a mechanism combining rolling circle replication and strand displacement synthesis. One of the primers was designed as an energy transfer-labeled primer, which generates a fluorescence signal only when incorporated into the amplified product, enabling a direct means of detection. RESULTS Using pUC19 as a model target to circularize an 89-base probe, a 10 billion-fold amplification was achieved with Bst DNA polymerase (large fragment) within 1 hour starting with as few as 10 probe molecules. The polymerase chain reaction was also used to amplify ligated padlock probes in a rare target detection system. In mixing experiments containing both normal and mutant p53 or c-Ki-ras2 gene target sequences, mutant targets were easily detected in the presence of a 500-fold excess of normal target copies. CONCLUSION These results indicate that padlock probes can be amplified to the high levels required for solution-based DNA diagnostics.