Rapid Screening for 31 Mutations and Polymorphisms in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Gene by Luminex xMAP Suspension Array

A suspension array hybridization assay is described for the detection of 31 mutations and polymorphisms in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene using Luminex� xMAP™ technology. The Luminex xMAP system allows simultaneous detection of up to 100 different targets in a single multiplexed reaction. Included in the method are the procedures for design of oligonucleotide capture probes and PCR amplification primers, coupling oligonucleotide capture probes to carboxylated microspheres, hybridization of coupled microspheres to oligonucleotide targets, production of targets from DNA samples by multiplexed PCR amplification, and detection of PCR-amplified targets by direct hybridization to probe-coupled microspheres. Mutation screening with the system is rapid, requires relatively few sample manipulations, and provides adequate resolution to reliably genotype the 25 CFTR mutations and 6 CFTR polymorphisms contained in the ACMG/ACOG/NIH-recommended core mutation panel for general population CF carrier screening.