Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

Candidate Gene Testing in Clinical Cohort Studies with Multiplexed Genotyping and Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 21, 2018
Three multiplex snapshot assays for SNP genotyping in candidate innate immune genes
Lisa M Esteves1, Sara M Bulhões, Maria J Brilhante
1Molecular Genetics and Pathology Unit, Hospital of Divino Espírito Santo of Ponta Delgada, EPE, São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal.
Background:
Innate immune system is the first line of research when studying immune response to diverse infections and autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. This immune response has been reported to be genetically diverse, due to polymorphisms coded by different genes. For this reason, our purpose was to develop a multiplex assay that allows the genotyping of candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in innate immune genes.
Findings:
We developed three multiplex PCR panels coupled with the minisequencing (SNaPshot) technique (multiplex PCR, multiplex primer extension, and capillary electrophoresis). The panels were tested in a sample set composed of 100 anonymous DNAs from healthy blood donors living in São Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal). Sixteen relevant SNPs among nine genes of the innate immune system--IL1α, IL1β, IL6, IL10, IL12RB1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR9 and CD14--were genotyped and validated by direct sequencing, with the exception of one that was undetected by minisequencing. We suggest that these panels can be used in future studies for detection of risk gene variants in several populations and/or diseases.
Conclusions:
In summary, we propose a multiplex assay that is able to identify the most frequent candidate SNPs in innate immune genes, using a medium scale genotyping platform. The assays can be used to evaluate the risk gene variants in populations of various geographic origins.
Related Concept Videos
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs
Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
Comparing Copy Number Variations and SNPs
Copy number variations or CNVs are the structural variations that cover more than 1kb of DNA sequence. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), on the other hand, is a single nucleotide change or a point mutation that is found in more than 1%...

