Method of sequencing by hybridization of oligonucleotide probes

Abstract

The conditions under which oligonucleotide probes hybridize preferentially with entirely complementary and homologous nucleic acid targets are described. Using these hybridization conditions, overlapping oligonucleotide probes associate with a target nucleic acid. Following washes, positive hybridization signals are used to assemble the sequence of a given nucleic acid fragment. Representative target nucleic acids are applied as dots. Up to to 100,000 probes of the type (A,T,C,G) (A,T,C,G)N8(A,T,C,G) are used to determine sequence information by simultaneous hybridization with nucleic acid molecules bound to a filter. Additional hybridization conditions are provided that allow stringent hybridization of 6-10 nucleotide long oligomers which extends the utility of the invention. A computer process determines the information sequence of the target nucleic acid which can include targets with the complexity of mammalian genomes. Sequence generation can be obtained for a large complex mammalian genome in a single process.

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