A completely new method for producing an image of individual DNA molecules' genetic make-up has been developed by researchers in Sweden and Denmark. The results are published in the latest issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (PNAS).
"The technique is quicker, easier and cheaper than existing methods. Therefore we hope that it can be used in hospitals in the future. Mapping a person's genome, or genetic make-up, is currently an expensive and complicated process", explains Jonas Tegenfeldt, researcher in Solid State Physics at Lund University and one of the senior authors of the article.
According to the researchers, the technique could be used to find out more easily whether someone is carrying a genetic predisposition to certain diseases.
The hope is that it could be used to diagnose and characterise diseases that are caused by significant changes and mutations in the genetic make-up, known as structural variations, that are associated with, for example, cancer, autism and several hereditary diseases.
In addition, the method could be of use in criminal investigations, because it might speed up identification of evidence.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100719/Researchers-develop-new-method-for-producing-image-of-individual-DNA-molecules-genetic-make-up.aspx