A modern approach to the specific location of genes on chromosomes is a technique for the hybridization of DNA and RNA "in situ." With this procedure, specific radioactive RNA or DNA (known as probes) can be isolated (or synthesized "in vitro") and then annealed to chromosomes which have been treated
in such a manner that their basic double stranded DNA has been "melted" or dissociated.
In theory, and fortunately in practice, when the DNA is allowed to re-anneal, the probe competes for the binding, but only where it mirrors a complimentary sequence. Thus, RNA will attach to the location on the chromosome where the code for its production is to be found. DNA will anneal to either RNA which is still attached to a chromosome, or to the complimentary sequence DNA strand within the chromosome. Since the probe is radioactive, it can be localized via autoradiographic techniques.
Finally, it is possible to produce an RNA probe that is synthesized directly from repetitive sequences of DNA, such as that found within the nucleolar organizer region of the genome. This RNA is known as cRNA (for copied RNA) and is a convenient source of a probe for localizing the nucleolar organizer gene within the nucleus, or on a specific chromosome.
The use of in situ hybridization begins with good cytological preparations of the cells to be studied, and the preparation of pure radioactive probes for the analysis. The details depend upon whether the hybridization is between DNA (probe) and DNA (chromosome), DNA (probe) and RNA (chromosome), or between RNA (probe) and DNA (chromosome).