摘要:
Fast and highly accurate mass spectrometry-based processes for detecting particular nucleic acid molecules and mutations in the molecules are provided. In some embodiments, a process comprises: amplifying a nucleic acid from a biological sample; ionizing and volatilizing the amplified product; analyzing the product by mass spectrometry to determine an observed molecular mass of the product; and comparing the observed molecular mass of the product to a calculated molecular mass of at least one nucleic acid having a known sequence, wherein the calculated molecular mass of the at least one nucleic acid having a known sequence is derived from the base composition of the at least one nucleic acid having a known sequence; whereby the presence or absence of the target nucleic acid is detected based on the comparison.