We describe the use of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to screen for DNA sequence polymorphisms in the human factor VIII gene. DNA fragments that differ in sequence by only a single base pair can be separated on denaturing gradient gels due to changes in their melting behavior. Previous studies have demonstrated the use of denaturing gradient gels to detect sequence changes in human genomic DNA, including mutations in the beta globin gene and polymorphisms on chromosome 20. We have begun to use denaturing gradient gels to look for polymorphisms within the human factor VIII gene. The DNA sequences of seven cloned fragments from introns in the human factor VIII gene were determined and used to predict a melting map for each fragment. The melting behavior of each cloned fragment was evaluated by electrophoresis into denaturing gradient gels. Appropriate fragments were then used as radioactive probes for hybridization to human DNA samples that had been digested with restriction enzymes. Heteroduplexes formed between the probe and genomic DNA samples were electrophoresed into denaturing gradient gels. The final positions of heteroduplex bands were determined by autoradiography. We describe a general approach for using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to find DNA polymorphisms, with particular emphasis on the predictive value of DNA sequence data. We compare the efficiency of polymorphism detection by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis with detection by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. The factor VIII gene appears to have a low level of DNA sequence polymorphism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)