Solid-Phase Automated Sequencing of PCR-Amplified Genomic DNA

The use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allows isolation and examination of genomic DNA sequences using specific oligonucleotide primers to amplify a target region with Taq DNA polymerase (1 ,2 ). The PCR products can be screened for mutations using molecular techniques, such as allele-specific oligonucleotides (ASO), single-stranded conformation polymorphisms (SSCP), denaturing gel electrophoresis (DDGE), restriction-fragment-length polymorphisms (RPLP), short tandem repeats (STRs), and heteroduplex formation (3 ,4 ).