Molecular beacons: a new approach for semiautomated mutation analysis

Molecular beacons are oligonucleotide probes that be-come fluorescent upon hybridization. We designed molecular beacons to detect a point mutation in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, a mutation that has been related to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and neural tube defects. The application of molecular beacons enables fast, semi-automated, accurate mutation detection. Moreover, the procedure is performed in a closed tube system, thereby avoiding carryover contamination. We believe these probes will find their way into nucleic acid research and diagnostics. Current techniques for routine detection of single base-pair mutations at the DNA level are often labor-intensive and time-consuming. This report describes a polymeras