Validation of DNA sequences using mass spectrometry coupled with nucleoside mass tagging

Genome Res. 2002 Jul;12(7):1135-41. doi: 10.1101/gr.221402.

Abstract

We present a mass spectrometry (MS)-based nucleoside-specific mass-tagging method to validate genomic DNA sequences containing ambiguities not resolved by gel electrophoresis. Selected types of (13)C/(15)N-labeled dNTPs are used in PCR amplification of target regions followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF)-MS analysis. From the mass difference between the PCR products generated with unlabeled nucleosides and products containing (13)C/(15)N-labeled nucleosides, we determined the base composition of the genomic regions of interest. Two approaches were used to verify the target regions: The first approach used nucleosides partially enriched with stable isotopes to identify a single uncalled base in a gel electrophoresis-sequenced region. The second approach used mass tags with 100% heavy nucleosides to examine a GC-rich region of a polycytidine string with an unknown number of cytidines. By use of selected (13)C/(15)N-labeled dNTPs (dCTPs) in PCR amplification of the target region in tandem with MALDI-TOF-MS, we determined precisely that this string contains 11 cytidines. Both approaches show the ability of our MS-based mass-tagging strategy to solve critical questions of sequence identities that might be essential in determining the proper reading frames of the targeted regions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Carbon Isotopes / analysis
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 16 / genetics
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 19 / genetics
  • Deoxycytosine Nucleotides / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nitrogen Isotopes / analysis
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / instrumentation
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*

Substances

  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Deoxycytosine Nucleotides
  • Nitrogen Isotopes