Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention describe primer pairs, methods and kits for identifying and/or detecting killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) alleles. The present primer sets include one or more primer pairs that can produce amplicons specific for an individual KIR allele and that are less than 1000 bp in size. Additionally, the primer sets can target intra-exon and/or extracellular domains of KIR alleles for amplification.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for analyzing polymorphic nucleic acids using duplex separation and/or identification techniques. In the present methods one of the nucleic acids has a sequence which includes universal bases that correspond in position to one or more of the polymorphic positions of the polymorphic nucleic acid. The nucleic acid including the universal bases can either represent the polymorphic nucleic acid and hybridize with a reference strand, or act as a reference strand and hybridize with the polymorphic nucleic acid directly, to form a duplex. Separation and/or identification of the duplex from other duplexes and materials can then be performed.