Patent ID: 7087379
Filing Date: 2006-08-08
Classification: C12Q,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of visually detecting a single copy of the Her-2/neu gene in chromosomal DNA in an intact cell using brightfield microscopy, comprising: heating the tissue or cell sample sufficiently to dissociate the native chromosomal target strands of Her-2/neu DNA; contacting said tissue or cell sample with a digoxigenin-labeled nucleic acid Her-2/neu probe specific for the Her-2/neu gene under conditions that allow the re-hybridization of the labeled nucleic acid Her-2/neu probe and target strands of Her-2/neu DNA to form a target-probe duplex; contacting the target-probe duplex with an anti-digoxigenin antibody under conditions allowing the antibody to bind to the label; contacting the anti-digoxigenin antibody with an enzyme and a chromogen composition under conditions allowing the development of a visually detectable chromogen substrate signal at each target-probe duplex in the nucleus of the intact cell separate and distinct from the chromogenic signals of other copies of said chromosomal target nucleic acid sequence; and detecting the chromogenic substrate signal visually using brightfield microscope conditions.