title: Recombinase Polymerase Amplification for Diagnostic Applications.
abstract: First introduced in 2006, recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) has stirred great interest, as evidenced by 75 publications as of October 2015, with 56 of them just in the last 2 years. The widespread adoption of this isothermal molecular tool in many diagnostic fields represents an affordable (approximately 4.3 USD per test), simple (few and easy hands-on steps), fast (results within 5-20 min), and sensitive (single target copy number detected) method for the identification of pathogens and the detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms in human cancers and genetically modified organisms.
  
  
  
  This review summarizes the current knowledge on RPA. The molecular diagnostics of various RNA/DNA pathogens is discussed while highlighting recent applications in clinical settings with focus on point-of-care (POC) bioassays and on automated fluidic platforms. The strengths and limitations of this isothermal method are also addressed.
  
  
  
  RPA is becoming a molecular tool of choice for the rapid, specific, and cost-effective identification of pathogens. Owing to minimal sample-preparation requirements, low operation temperature (25-42 °C), and commercial availability of freeze-dried reagents, this method has been applied outside laboratory settings, in remote areas, and interestingly, onboard automated sample-to-answer microfluidic devices. RPA is undoubtedly a promising isothermal molecular technique for clinical microbiology laboratories and emergence response in clinical settings.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval (CRI), Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada; Département de microbiologie-infectiologie et d'immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada.
authors.forename: Rana K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Daher
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval (CRI), Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada;
authors.forename: Gale
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval (CRI), Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada;
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boissinot
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval (CRI), Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada; Département de microbiologie-infectiologie et d'immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada. michel.g.bergeron@crchudequebec.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Michel G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bergeron
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D006801:Humans; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA