S i n c e its discovery in 1985, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has had a profound impact on detecting genetic and infectious diseases, identifying new genes, and unraveling the mysteries of protein-ligand recognition.(1-s) Its universal utility is due to the exquisite specificity of amplification and ease of cycling made possible by the cloning and careful characterization of a thermostab...

Recent Vibrio parahaemolyticus outbreaks associated with consumption of raw shellfish in the United States focused attention on the occurrence of this organism in shellfish. From March 1999 through September 2000, paired oyster samples were collected biweekly from two shellfish-growing areas in Mobile Bay, Ala. The presence and densities of V. parahaemolyticus were determined by using DNA probe...

The use of enzymes in industrial processes is often limited by the unavailability biocatalysts with prolonged stability. Thermostable allow increased process temperature and thus higher substrate product solubility, reuse expensive biocatalysts, resistance against organic solvents, better “evolvability” enzymes. In this work, we have used an activity-independent method for selection thermostabl...