A PCR-coupled ligase chain reaction (LCR) assay was developed to distinguish the plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia stewartii from other erwiniae. This new technique allows discrimination to the species level on the basis of a single-base-pair difference in the 16S rRNA gene which is unique to E. stewartii. Portions of the 16S rRNA genes ofE. stewartii and the closely related Erwinia herbicola ...

PCR depends on generation of a deoxyoligonucleotide complementary to the known 3' terminus of the portion of DNA to be amplified. This is then annealed with the appropriate strand of heat-denatured DNA and used as a primer for synthesis by a DNA polymerase of a full-length complementary strand (Fig. 1). The two strands are then separated by heat denaturation and the process repeated. However, i...

This essay on the polymerase chain reaction is one of a series developed as part of FASEB's efforts to educate the general public, and the legislators whom it elects, about the benefits of fundamental biomedical research-particularly how investment in such research leads to scientific progress, improved health, and economic well-being.

Dear Editor-in-Chief We read with interest the study by Khazaei et al. (1) in which the authors have nicely concluded that PCR is more sensitive test than Ziehl-Neelsen staining and histo-pathological examination for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). They have rightly pointed to use PCR, selectively, in acidfast bacilli negative paucibacillary forms of TB. However, we intend to highlight few...

background: erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (e. rhusiopathiae) is generally transmitted into the gastrointestinal tract of animals by the intake of contaminated food or water and causes great economic loss in agriculture worldwide. some of the erysipelothrix spp. are the causative agents of erysipeloid, which is an occupational infection in humans. the aim of the present study was to isolate e. rh...

conclusions in conclusion, the prevalence of hcv genotype 1 was 51.7%, which was lower than the rates reported in other studies in turkey, while the prevalence of hcv genotype 3 was 46%, which was remarkably higher than the reported turkish data. in addition, the prevalence rate for genotype 3 reported in the present study is the highest that has ever been reported in the literature. results th...

results phylogenetic analysis of the gene revealed that pakistani 1a hcv strains are in the start of third cluster and there is a difference between inter pakistani isolates at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. material and methods patient sera infected with hepatitis c virus, genotype 1a, were obtained from molecular diagnostics lab, cemb, university of the punjab lahore by using bd vacu...

conclusions findings of the present study showed that hcv genotype 3 was the predominant genotype followed by the subtypes 1a and 1b in yazd, central province of iran. in addition, there was no difference between hcv load and genotypes 1 and 3. hcv genotyping is recommended in other provinces of iran. objectives the main aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hcv genotypes in yazd,...

conclusions we confirm that in amol city and surrounding areas, the prevalence of true hcv infection is 0.05%, which is lower than that previously reported from iran. results the mean age of participants was 42.70 ± 17.10 years. of these participants, 57.2% (n = 3483) were male. anti-hcv antibody was positive in 12 individuals from which five were riba positive. three of these subjects were pcr...

conclusions pcr was the most sensitive, accurate and rapid method for diagnosis of tb. it was concluded that, for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, pcr directly from sputum may be recommended in bangladesh, especially in suspected tuberculosis patients who remain negative by conventional methods. patients and methods a total of 150 clinically suspected pulmonary tb patients (male/female:...