Detection of spores of Bacillus anthracis using the polymerase chain reaction.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify spores of Bacillus anthracis. By using an assay capable of amplifying a 1247-bp fragment from the gene that encodes the edema factor of B. anthracis, as few as 10(3) copies of a plasmid containing the edema factor gene and as few as 2 x 10(4) spores were detected. Subjecting the product of this PCR to a second PCR designed to amplify a 208-bp fragment nested within the 1247-bp product improved detection to a single plasmid copy per PCR and to two spores of B. anthracis per PCR.
Carl
M
M
Naval Medical Research Institute, Naval Medical Research and Development Command, Bethesda, Maryland.
Hawkins
R
R
Coulson
N
N
Lowe
J
J
Robertson
D L
DL
Nelson
W M
WM
Titball
R W
RW
Woody
J N
JN
D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes