In part 1a of the schematic the oligonucleotide probe, labeled on its left end (asterisk), is shown on the top line. It is fully complementary to its target DNA (here taken from the human β-hemoglobin gene), as shown on the next line. Part of the probe includes the Recognition site for the restriction enzyme Dde I (underlined).
In part 1b, the restriction enzyme has cleaved the probe and its target (Dde I leaves three bases unpaired at each end). The labeled end of the probe is now just 8 bases in length, and is easily separated by Gel electrophoresis from the uncut probe, which was 40 bases long.
In part 2, the same probe is shown hybridized to a target DNA which includes a single base mutation (here the mutation responsible for Sickle Cell Anemia, or SCA). The mismatched hybrid no longer acts as a recognition site for the restriction enzyme, and the probe remains at its original length.