Single cell degenerate oligonucleotide primed-PCR and comparative genomic hybridization

The whole genomic DNA of a single cell with XX, XY, XO, XXY, +13 or +21 was amplified by DOP-PCR. CGHs of a single cell DOP-PCR product against the genomic DNA or against a single cell DOP-PCR product from normal male were carried out respectively. The results showed the average profile of fluorescence intensive ratio in CGH with the genomic DNA as reference is greatly fluctuated with false over-representative of X chromosome and failed detection of trisomy 13 and 21. However, the results of the CGH with DOP-PCR product as reference are quite acceptable. The copy number changes of chromosome X, Y, 13 and 21 are demonstrated. Those results suggest that there is unrandom unequal amplification in a single cell DOP-PCR Using a single DOP-PCR product as reference can decrease its influence on CGH. Single cell DOP-PCR-CGH and its application in preimplantation embryo or fetal cell in maternal blood may be possible.