Rapid identification of microorganisms by nucleic acid hybridization after labeling the test sample

A novel method for rapidly identifying microorganisms has been developed. This method employs a monoadduct-forming furocoumarin derivative, which can photochemically label nucleic acids. The labeled nucleic acid can, in turn, be hybridized simultaneously to a panel of immobilized probe DNAs arrayed as dots on a solid support such as nitrocellulose. This procedure offers several advantages over more conventional hybridization techniques in that sample nucleic acids can be photolabeled without substantial sample preparation and that identification can be achieved by a single, rapid hybridization reaction.