RESUMO
A possibility was investigated to use photo-crosslinking DNA probes for fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). DNA probes were modified by incorporating photonucleotides in these, containing a photoreactive group (tetrafluorobenzazid) and capable of making covalent bonds with the examined DNA, when irradiated in 300-330 nm region. The photonucleotide was incorporated into the probe either by nick-translation, or upon elongation of the hybridized probe by the Kljonow fragment. It has been shown that the DNA probe, cross-linking to a chromosome as a result of covalent bonds, is not removed from the place of hybridization under consequent denaturating washing, which makes it possible to carry out the following DNA hybridization with selective conservation of signals obtained due to previous hybridization. This peculiarity of photo-linking DNA probes makes it possible to use them for the two-step DNA hybridization. To demonstrate this, preparations of human chromosomes were investigated. On the first step, chromosomal DNA was hybridized by means of DNA probe having nucleotide sequences of centromeric regions of chromosomes 13 and 21, the probe being linked to chromosomal DNA by the photonucleotide. Following the denaturation treatment of the preparation, and after the second chromosomal DNA hybridization with cosmid DNA, containing chromosome 13 DNA nucleotide sequence, the signal in chromosome 13 centromeric region was retained to serve a marker of this chromosome, thus fascilitating its easier identification following the hybridization of its DNA with cosmic DNA. The denaturation stability of photo-crosslinking probes opens some new possibilities in technology of DNA in situ hybridization.
