Microplate array diagonal gel electrophoresis for mutation research in DNAbanks

Molecular genetic epidemiology, association and linkage studies in populati ons, human or other species, is now yielding powerful new insights into dis ease and susceptibility genes, Inter alia, the subject requires laboratory analytical methodologies focused on achieving high throughput. Here we revi ew one suite of methodology suitable for such laboratories. Microplate arra y diagonal gel electrophoresis (MADGE) was invented for molecular genetic e pidemiological studies. It combines direct compatibility with microplates, convenient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and economy of time and reage nts, at minimal capital cost, and enables one user to run up to several tho usand gel lanes per day for direct assay of single-base variations. Melt-MA DGE combines temporal thermal ramp apparatus to achieve similar throughput for de novo mutation scanning.