PHOTO CROSS-LINKABLE DNA OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBE TO HTLV-III

A PSORALEN-MONOADDUCTED, CROSS-LINKABLE DNA OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBE TO A CONSERVED PORTION OF THE HTLV-III GENOME WILL BE PREPARED AND USED IN AN INNOVATIVE HYBRIDIZATION ASSAY. THEASSAY IS CONDUCTED AT THE MELTING TEMPERATURE OF THE RESPECTIVE PROBE-TARGET HYBRID USING HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF PROBE. HYBRIDIZATION AND PHOTOCHEMICAL FIXATION ARE CARRIEDOUT CONCURRENTLY OVER A PERIOD OF MINUTES AFTER WHICH EXCESSPROBE IS REMOVED BY A DENATURING WASH STEP. THE SENSITIVITYAND EASE OF USE OF THIS PROBE WILL BE COMPARED TO AN OTHERWISE IDENTICAL UNMODIFIED PROBE USED IN A TRADITIONAL BLOT FORMAT. RNA ISOLATED FROM HTLV-III-INFECTED CELL CULTURES WILL BE USED AS THE TARGET SEQUENCE IN THESE ASSAYS. FAVORABLE RESULTS WILL JUSTIFY ASSAYS ON ACTUAL CLINICAL SPECIMENS USING NOVEL NONRADIOACTIVE AMPLIFICATION SCHEMES. THE RESULTANT TEST FOR HTLV-III COULD SERVE AS A MODEL FOR ADDITIONAL TESTS FOR OTHER INFECTIOUS AND GENETIC DISEASES.