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Updated: Apr 26, 2026

The Visual Colorimetric Detection of Multi-nucleotide Polymorphisms on a Pneumatic Droplet Manipulation Platform
Published on: September 27, 2016
Genotyping of α-thalassemias by the colorimetric nanogold probes
Sirinart Chomean1, Nantawan Wangmaung2, Pornpimol Sritongkham3
1Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University; Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Science, Thammasat University.
Background:
The novel colorimetric nanogold probe was created to genotype subgroups of the mostly found α-thalassemias. They are α-thalassemia 1 (SEA and THAI deletion) and α-thalassemia 2 (3.7-kb and 4.2-kb deletion).
Methods:
The genotyping was performed by two-steps hybridizations. First step was hybridization of target DNA with the nanogold mixed probes of either α-thalassemia 1 or α-thalassemia 2. No hybridization in both reactions showing blue color indicated absence of abnormal genes causing these α-thalassemias. Positive reaction showing either red or purple color was further analyzed in second hybridization with the nanogold single probe. Positive of α-thalassemia 1 was genotyped with the single probes of both SEA and THAI deletion while those of α-thalassemia 2 were genotyped with both 3.7-kb and 4.2-kb deletion.
Results:
Genotypic potency of the nanogold mixed and single probes was evaluated using both known diagnosed and suspected clinical samples. The results by naked eye were consistence with those analyzed by standard agarose gel electrophoresis.
Conclusions:
Potency of the colorimetric nanogold α-thalassemia probes was accurate, precise, sensitive, specific, simple, cheap and field applicable. Color reaction was simply visualized by naked eye. This development is an example of colorimetric molecular diagnosis which can be applied in any genetic detection.

