Abstract: The invention provides a method for separating a DNA molecule from a mixture of DNA molecules, which method comprises: (i) amplifying the DNA molecules in the mixture; (ii) hybridising single strands of the amplified DNA molecules with a complementary strand of a reference DNA molecule so as to form duplexes; and (iii) separating the duplexes. The different DNA molecules in the original mixture give rise to duplexes having different numbers, positions or types of mismatches. This allows the duplexes to be separated by, for example, gel electrophoresis. The separated duplexes can then be analysed to identify the DNA molecules that were present in the original mixture.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for separating a DNA molecule from a mixture of DNA molecules, which method comprises: (i) amplifying the DNA molecules in the mixture; (ii) hybridising single strands of the amplified DNA molecules with a complementary strand of a reference DNA molecule so as to form duplexes; and (iii) separating the duplexes. The different DNA molecules in the original mixture give rise to duplexes having different numbers, positions or types of mismatches. This allows the duplexes to be separated by, for example, gel electrophoresis. The separated duplexes can then be analysed to identify the DNA molecules that were present in the original mixture.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for identifying an unknown allele of a polyallelic gene, which method comprises (i) contacting the unknown allele with a panel of probes, each of which recognises a sequence motif that is present in some alleles of the polyallelic gene but not in others; (ii) observing which probes recognise the unknown allele so as to obtain a fingerprint of the unknown allele; and (iii) comparing the fingerprint with fingerprints of known alleles. The use of a panel of probes which each recognises a different motif allows identification of which motifs are present in the unknown allele. The alleles of the polyallelic gene each have a unique combination of motifs and so identification of this combination (or “fingerprint”) leads to identification of the unknown allele.