Biotin-labeled hairpin oligonucleotides: probes to detect double-strand breaks in DNA in apoptotic cells

摘要: Hairpin oligonucleotides were synthesized with stems ending in a double-stranded structure, which can be ligated to double-strand breaks DNA, and loops that contain nucleotides modified by the attachment of biotin. These probes specifically sensitively detect apoptotic cells. Localization these is restricted areas chromatin characteristic apoptosis, whereas much more diffuse labeling was obtained when all available 3' DNA ends labeled terminal transferase. In principle, hairpin oligonucleotide designed any type or 5' overhang complementary termini being detected.