Modified PNA Telomere and Centromere FISH Protocols.

Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) utilizes peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes to identify specific DNA sequences. PNA probes have been effectively used to identify chromosome aberrations and have been shown to greatly aid in biodosimetery assays involved in identifying dicentrics. Traditional techniques have required the heat denaturing of the DNA in formamide followed by multiple hours at moderated temperatures to allow the probe to hybridize to its specific target. Over the past 30 years, advancements in both protocols and probes have made FISH a more reliable technique for both biological research and medical diagnostics, additionally the protocol has been shortened to several minutes. We will introduce two modified PNA FISH protocols, a rapid microwave-based approach and nonclassical hybridization protocol.