Polymerase chain reaction nucleic acid amplification

Both target and signal amplification systems have been successfully employed to detect and quantitate specific nucleic acid sequences in clinical specimens. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), strand displacement amplification (SDA), and ligase chain reaction (LCR) are all examples of enzyme-mediated, target amplification strategies that are capable of producing billions of... 

Antibody capture of viruses can be used as a preparatory step in nucleic acid amplification techniques. Immunocapture of virus particles can be used to streamline and/or optimize the concentration, purification and specificity requirements of polymerase chain reaction assays. 

The advent of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was a major turning point in the history of analytical techniques for biomolecules. Since the first publication of the method in 1985, the exponential signal amplification power of PCR was mirrored by an almost similar exponential increase of applications [1-4]. Using a simple and effective signal amplification by repetitive cyclic duplication of a template nucleic acid strand, the signal-enhancing... 

In contrast to nucleic acids where polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allows the investigation of single cells, no amplification technology is available at the protein level. As such, proteomic studies require relatively large sample volume. Because of this limitation, it is not a surprising that most proteomic studies have been performed on whole tissue samples. This approach in cancer research is, however, unfortunate because cellular heterogeneity within a biopsy or tissue sample will likely impair the quality and reproducibility of information generated. 

Nucleic acids are also valuable as diagnostic reagents. In combination with the recently developed amplification method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nucleic acid probes allow the detection of trace amounts of a specified nucleic acid sequence. Thus, the presence of the DNA of pathogens can be ascertained with great sensitivity and rapidity. Further, these tools permit the analysis and the detection of gene defects in individual patients, and aid in the tailoring of therapeutic strategies. These applications are discussed in Chapter 8. 

Nucleic acid-based technologies Nucleic acid probe Polymerase chain reaction-DNA amplification 6S rRNA sequencing techniques Automated riboprinting... 

All of these tasks can now be addressed with a family of novel tests collectively named product-enhanced reverse transcriptase (PERT) assays. PERT assays combine the broad detection range of RT tests with the high sensitivity of nucleic acid amplification procedures. PERT assays are based on the selective enhancement, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or one of the various... 

When the amount of target nucleic acid is increased by synthetic in vitro methods, target amphfication is said to occur. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the best known and most widely applied of the target amplification methods. Because of the commercial availability of thermostable DNA polymerases, kits, and instrumentation, this method has been widely adopted in research and is also rou-tmely used in the clmical laboratory. 

RT-PCR, Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction NASBA, nucleic acid sequence based amplification. For current FDA listings, see http //www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrli/cfdocs/cERL/lLsting.cfiii. 

Nucleic acid amplification methods are now considered a standard laboratory tool. They have had a tremendous impact on the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. These highly sensitive methods have the capability to detect and quantitate minute amounts of target nucleic acid in a rapid manner. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR)... 

The utilization of classical polystyrene particles or hydrophobic latexes for protein concentrations can induce undesirable phenomena such as protein denaturation and low concentration yields, on account of the high adsorption affinity between both species which may lead to a low desorbed amount. In addition, the use of such hydrophobic colloids in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of nucleic acid amplification step generally leads to total inhibition of the enzymatic reaction. The inhibition phenomena can be attributed to the denaturation of enzymes adsorbed in large numbers onto hydrophobic coUoids. The utilization of hydrophilic and highly hydrated latex particles (irrespective of temperature) is the key to solving this problem by suppressing the inhibition of enzyme activity. The purpose of this stage is then to focus on the potential apphcation of thermally responsive poly(NIPAM) particles for both protein and nucleic acid concentrations. 

HPLC life science applications focus on the separation, quantitation, and purification of biomolecules such as proteins, peptides, amino acids, nucleic acids, nucleotides, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification products.31 34 These are diversified and active research areas in medical research and drug discovery. 

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