Abstract: A process for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, mapping, and diagnostics which utilizes the differences between the chemical composition of DNA and that of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) to provide DNA sequencing, mapping, or diagnostics using natural DNA fragments, rather than using radioisotopes, stable isotopes or fluorescent substances to label the DNAs. The process includes the steps of hybridizing PNA segments to complementary DNA segments which are fixed to a hybridization surface, or hybridizing DNA segments to complementary PNA segments which are fixed to a hybridization surface, and using mass spectrometric or non-mass spectrometric techniques to analyze the extent of hybridization at each potential hybridization site.

Abstract: A DNA sequencing, mapping, and diagnostic process which includes the steps of labeling nucleotide segments or peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) with one or more atoms of specific stable or long-lived radioactive isotopes of a selected element that do not normally occur in DNAs, ODNs or PNAs such that the nucleotide segment or PNA has specific stable or long-lived radioactive isotope of a specified selected element at a terminal or an interior position; hybridizing the labeled nucleotide segment or PNA to complementary nucleic acid segments or PNAs which are fixed on a hybridization surface; and, using mass spectrometric techniques, including RIS, to analyze the presence and position of the labeled hybridized nucleotide segments or PNAs which are bound to the fixed nucleotide segments or PNAs.