RAPID MOLECULAR HAPLOTYPING OF THE FIRST EXON OF THE HUMAN DOPAMINE D4 RECEPTOR GENE BY HETERODUPLEX ANALYSIS

The dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) and its products are of great int erest in many neuropsychiatric disorders. There are at least five expr essed polymorphisms in exons 1 and 3, plus rare expressed variants, al l of which may have functional relevance, Several studies have describ ed methods for studying the exon 3 polymorphisms, especially the VNTR; fewer reports have documented the exon 1 polymorphisms and variants o f DRD4. We report here a simple, rapid, nonisotopic, nondenaturing het eroduplex method for determining the molecular haplotype composed of t he two more polymorphic systems of the first exon of DRD4: the 12 bp d uplication and 13 bp deletion. This method will facilitate future rese arch on expressed variation of this gene. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.