Gene rearrangements detected by nonradioactive digoxigenin-labeled DNA probes

The configurations of immunoglobulin, T-cell receptor beta chain and bcl-2 genes were analyzed in lympho-proliferative disorders using nonradioactive digoxigenin-labeled probes. The studies demonstrated the reliability of digoxigenin-labeled probes for the detection of single-copy genes after Southern blotting of genomic DNA: 1 microgram and sometimes even 0.2 microgram of restriction endonuclease-digested DNA could be detected either by JH, C beta or bcl-2 probes. The intensity of the signal was consistently satisfactory, and there was no background problem. Control experiments showed neither false-positive nor false-negative results caused by the use of the nonradioactive detection system.