Probes and methods for detecting activated ras oncogenes

Claim 1

A molecule useful as a probe for detecting in a gene from a human subject which encodes a mutated N-ras protein, a single base mutation in the codon at position 13 of the N-ras gene, which mutation results in an amino acid being translated and incorporated into the mutated protein which is different from the amino acid translated and incorporated into a nonmutated ras protein comprising a nucleic acid of at least 12 but not more than 43 nucleotides having the formula:, 5'.sup.B-Q-D 3' wherein B represents from 0 to about 20 nucleotides having a sequence complementary to a sequence present in the gene which encodes the mutated N-ras protein, the gene sequence to which B is complementary encoding amino acids at the amino terminal side of the amino acid encoded at position 13 of the N-ras gene; wherein D represents from 0 to about 20 nucleotides having a sequence complementary to a sequence present in the gene which encodes the mutated N ras protein, the gene sequence to which D is complementary encoding amino acids at the carboxyl terminal side of the amino acid at position 13 of the N-ras gene; and wherein Q represents 3 nucleotides having a sequence complementary to the gene sequence which encodes an amino acid at position 13 other than glycine.