Solid phase capturable dideoxynucleotides for multiplex genotyping using mass spectrometry

We report an approach using solid phase capturable biotinylated dideoxynucleotides (biotin-ddNTPs) in single base extension for multiplex genotyping by mass spectrometry (MS). In this method, oligonucleotide primers that have different molecular weights and that are specific to the polymorphic sites in the DNA template are extended with biotin-ddNTPs by DNA polymerase to generate 3'-biotinylated DNA products. These products are then captured by streptavidin-coated solid phase magnetic beads, while the unextended primers and other components in the reaction are washed away. The pure extension DNA products are subsequently released from the solid phase and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS. The mass of the extension products is determined using a stable oligonucleotide as a common internal mass standard. Since only the pure extension DNA products are introduced to the MS for analysis, the resulting mass spectrum is free of non-extended primer peaks and their associated dimers, which increases the accuracy and scope of multiplexing in single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. The solid phase purification approach also facilitates desalting of the captured oligonucleotides, which is essential for accurate mass measurement by MS. We selected four biotin-ddNTPs with distinct molecular weights to generate extension products that have a 2-fold increase in mass difference compared to that with conventional ddNTPs. This increase in mass difference provides improved resolution and accuracy in detecting heterozygotes in the mass spectrum. Using this method, we simultaneously distinguished six nucleotide variations on synthetic DNA templates mimicking mutations in the p53 gene and two disease-associated SNPs in the human hereditary hemochromatosis gene.