What technology is utilized to detect point mutations in a target sequence?

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The correct technology utilized to detect point mutations in a target sequence is ligation cDNA (LCR). This method is particularly effective for detecting point mutations because it relies on the specificity of ligation reactions that can discriminate between sequences differing by a single nucleotide.

In ligation cDNA, two oligonucleotides, which hybridize to the target sequence, are joined together by a DNA ligase only if they are perfectly base-paired. If a point mutation occurs, the oligonucleotides cannot ligate effectively, thus allowing for the detection of the mutation. This high specificity makes LCR a powerful tool for pinpointing individual nucleotide changes relevant in various genetic conditions and malignancies.

While polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and its derivatives can also be used to amplify sequences before assessing mutations, they may not offer the same level of specificity for detecting single nucleotide variations without additional methods like sequencing or specific probes. Ligation-dependent amplification (LDA) is another technique used for mutation detection, but it’s more complex and not as widely recognized as LCR for this particular application. Strand displacement amplification (SDA) is primarily used for amplifying nucleic acids rather than for directly detecting point mutations, making it less suited for this purpose

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