Nonradioactive HLA class II typing using polymerase chain reaction and digoxigenin-11-2'-3'-dideoxy-uridinetriphosphate-labeled oligonucleotide probes.

We describe a new, simple, rapid, and sensitive nonradioactive technique for the analysis of genetic variations. Genomic DNA was amplified using polymerase chain reaction and amplified DNA was hybridized, with digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled sequence-specific oligonucleotides. High specificity and sensitivity was achieved when labeling the sequence-specific oligonucleotide at the 3' end with only one DIG using digoxigenin-11-2',3'-dideoxy-uridine-5'-triphosphate and DNA deoxynucleotidylexotransferase. The hybridized probes were detected using antidigoxigenin alkaline phosphatase, fab fragments, and X-phosphate/NBT for visualization. This method was applied to the analysis of HLA-DR4-DRB1 alleles in polymerase chain reaction-amplified genomic DNA and resulted in highly specific and sensitive hybridization signals discriminating even in cases of a one-base-pair mismatch. This technique is particularly suited for HLA oligotyping because it allows the use of tetramethylammonium chloride for the simplification of hybridization and washing conditions.