Patent ID: 7250254

Claim:
A method of detecting the presence of a translocation in a biological sample, said translocation involving at least a first DNA of a first chromosome and a second DNA of a second, non-homologous chromosome, wherein said first DNA and said second DNA have breakpoint regions, said method comprising: (a) hybridizing a DNA probe set to said biological sample, said DNA probe set comprising a detectably labeled first probe set and a detectably labeled second probe set, (i) said first probe set being sufficient in length and substantially complementary to the entire breakpoint region of said first DNA and nucleotides on both sides of the breakpoint region such that said first probe set will hybridize to both sides of the breakpoint region regardless of whether the translocation has occurred; and (ii) said second probe set being sufficient in length and substantially complementary to the entire breakpoint region of said second DNA and nucleotides on both sides of the breakpoint region such that said second probe set will hybridize to both sides of the breakpoint region regardless of whether the translocation has occurred; (b) determining the number, location, or type of detectable signals resulting from step (a); and (c) detecting the presence of said translocation in said biological sample by the typical production of two or more detectable fusion signals.