How might an ASO (allele-specific oligonucleotide) hybridization test be used to diagnose a specific genetic mutation in the PAH gene?
=> DNA from the patient is extracted and denatured, then a portion combined with the ASO in a stringent hybridization test. The ASO has a sequence matching one specific mutation in the PAH gene, so that if the ASO hybridizes with the patient’s DNA under stringent conditions, it must be fully complementary to the patient’s PAH gene sequence. If the ASO does not hybridize, then the patient does not carry that particular mutation. This process can be repeated with different ASOs to identify the particular mutation carried by the patient.
