A new single nucleotide polymorphisms typing method and device by bioluminometric assay coupled with a photodiode array

Easy and inexpensive single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) typing systems are required for the practice of genetic testing as well as genetic medicine. Most of the SNPs typing systems use laser-induced fluorescence detection coupled with fluorophore tagging on DNA, which are expensive. A new simple and inexpensive SNPs typing system is presented. It uses a bioluminometric assay coupled with modified primer extension reactions and an inexpensive photodiode array for the luminometric detection. The reagents consumed in the assay are also inexpensive. Although the system is very small, simple and inexpensive, it gives enough sensitivity for detecting target DNAs as small as 10 fmol, which is good enough for SNPs typing.