Objective: To search for the dystrophin gene mutations of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients without gross deletions, in order to offer accurate genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for those families.
Methods: All 79 exons of the dystrophin gene as well as its 5'-UTR and 3'-UTR of 14 Chinese DMD/Becker muscular dystrphy (BMD) patients without detectable gross deletions were screened by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and heteroduplex fragments were identified by subsequent sequencing.
Results: Seven causative point mutations, including two novel ones, were detected in 7 patients. Fourteen known polymorphisms and 7 unknown intronic variations were also detected. Five mothers of the patients were obligate carriers.
Conclusion: DHPLC is an efficient way of identifying point mutations and the female carriers in DMD families.