title: A two-step quantitative pathogen detection system based on capillary electrophoresis.
abstract: Rapid identification of bacterial pathogens is important for patient management and initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy in the early stages of infection. Among the several techniques, capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) analysis combined with small subunit rRNA gene-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has come into the spotlight owing to its sensitivity, resolution, and reproducibility. Despite the advantages of the method, the design of PCR primers and optimization of multiplex PCR conditions remain to be studied so that as many pathogens as possible can be analyzed in a single run. Here we describe a novel two-step technique involving multiplex PCR pathogen detection by CE-SSCP analysis followed by singleplex PCR pathogen quantification by CE-SSCP. Specific PCR primers were designed for optimal separation of their products by CE-SSCP based on molecular weight. PCR conditions were then optimized for multiplex analysis of the targets. Subsequently, detected pathogens were quantified by PCR with specific primers. Eight clinically important strains were simultaneously identified under the optimized conditions. Each individual pathogen was then quantified at a level of sensitivity of tens of cells per milliliter. In conclusion, the two-step pathogen detection method based on CE-SSCP described here allows for sensitive detection of pathogens by multiplex PCR (first step) and quantification by specific PCR (second step). The results illustrate the potential of the method in clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Gi Won
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Yang Sook
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hee Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jin Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Gyoo Yeol
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000379:methods*; D005658:Fungi / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results