Sequence Verification of Synthetic Oligonucleotides by Exonuclease Digestion and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry

  • Published : 1996.03.31

Abstract

A series of oligonucleotides were synthesized by automatic DNA synthesizer. The purity of crude products was checked and their molecular weights determined by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) with an accuracy of better than 0.05% deviation even without using an internal standard. This mass determining technology in combination with partial digestion of oligonucleotides by 5'- and 3'-exonuclease provides a straightforward and simple method to obtain sequence information of oligonucleotides. The extension of this technology to the sequencing of modified oligonucleotides and genomic DNA and RNA might become possible.

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