CDNA Fingerprinting of Breast Cancer Tumor Cells.
Abstract
Several methods have been described that highlight genetic differences between samples. However none of the currently available methods are robust enough to be applied routinely to a large number of samples. The long term goal of this proposal is to develop and to apply such methods to breast cancer disease to aid in diagnosis, prevention and treatment. For instance, it is quite clear that current methods of analysis will be replaced in the future with more efficient and accurate analytically tools such as mass spectrometry (MS). In collaboration with several groups we are developing matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis for DNA analysis. MALDI-TOF MS measurement provides molecular masses with up to 1 Dalton accuracy and 1 part in 1000 resolution in measurements that take less than a second. The improved accuracy of MS analysis will allow the power of array chip technology to be brought on line widely. It is most likely that it will take another two years for the MS technology to mature to the necessary level. Meanwhile our focus has been in developing methods of providing useful samples for the, what will be, sample hungry MS instruments. Rather than wait for the MS technology to mature, these samples are being analyzed now with current but inefficient technology. Our methods have focused on generating pools of samples with common characteristics. The pool of samples is analyzed en masse. For instance, our methods produce pools of samples that contain simple repeating sequences such as (CAG)n and (CA)n repeat sequences, LTR sequences (= a retroviral footprint), or Zn-finger binding motif (= sequences coding for transcription factors). The starting material can be genomic DNA or cDNA.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA341535
Entities
People
- Cassandra L. Smith
Organizations
- Boston University