SYBR green dye-based probe-free SNP genotyping: introduction of T-Plex real-time PCR assay

Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping is widely used in genetic association studies to characterize genetic factors underlying inherited traits. Despite many recent advances in high-throughput SNP genotyping, inexpensive and flexible methods with reasonable throughput levels are still needed. Real-time PCR methods for discovering and genotyping SNPs are becoming increasingly important in various fields of biology. In this study, we introduce a new, single-tube strategy that combines the tetra-primer ARMS PCR assay, SYBR Green I-based real-time PCR, and melting-point analysis with primer design strategies to detect the SNP of interest. This assay, T-Plex real-time PCR, is based on the T(m) discrimination of the amplified allele-specific amplicons in a single tube. The specificity, sensitivity, and robustness of the assay were evaluated for common mutations in the FV, PII, MTHFR, and FGFR3 genes. We believe that T-Plex real-time PCR would be a useful alternative for either individual genotyping requests or large epidemiological studies.