VIRTUAL DNA ANALYSIS - A NEW TOOL FOR COMBINATION AND STANDARDIZED EVALUATION OF SSO, SSP AND SEQUENCING-BASED TYPING RESULTS

In order to obtain reliable information on HLA types, DNA typing with sequence-specific oligonucleotide/primer (SSO/SSP) typing sets or sequ encing-based typing (SBT) is increasingly performed. The quality of th e evaluation depends on the presence of a complete listing of ail type d alleles as well as on the ability of detecting all corresponding all eles/allele pairs. We have developed the concept of virtual DNA analys is (VDA), which is able to combine all types of SSO/SSP/SBT results an d evaluate this typing in combination according to the latest publishe d allele sequence lists. The concept is based on the target DNA recogn ised by the respective typing techniques. All SSO/SSP or SET results a re transformed to a virtual sample DNA, which subsequently is analysed . Evaluation of generic or allele-specific DNA typing or the combinati on of both is supported. Due to this flexible approach, all kinds of S SO/SSP sets, as far as the respective SSO/SSP sequences are available, can be entered and evaluated immediately. The combination nation of c ollected data of different typing sets and procedures leads to the hig hest possible typing resolution. If more than one possible allele comb ination persists, the program reduces the result to the most specific common denominator in a stepwise manner. VDA offers the possibility of re-evaluation of former SSO/SSP/SBT results, alone or in combination, No solutions are omitted. This might be a first step towards standard isation of evaluating DNA-based HLA typing results or transfer of the respective typing data for later evaluation.