Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.7.7 (DNA polymerase)
 17,007 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The direct identification of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli from clinical specimens was examined by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for amplifying the heat-labile toxin (LT) gene. Two synthetic primers, each of which was 20 bases in length, were used with the thermostable DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus to amplify the LT gene. The amplified PCR products were detected by either gel electrophoresis or hybridization to a 24-base synthetic oligonucleotide probe conjugated to alkaline phosphatase. The PCR method detected LT-positive bacteria but did not react with E. coli producing the heat-stable toxin, enteroinvasive E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, or Shigella dysenteriae. By the PCR method, a single bacterium could be detected following 30 cycles of amplification. The T. aquaticus DNA polymerase was inhibited by more than 10(3) organisms in the amplification reaction mixture. A group of 40 clinical specimens consisting of 16 LT bioassay-positive and 24 LT bioassay-negative stool specimens were tested by PCR for the presence of toxigenic E. coli. The total DNA from 100 microliters of stool specimen was extracted and partially purified with a commercially available ion-exchange column. All 16 of the bioassay-positive stool specimens were positive by PCR. In addition, one stool specimen which was bioassay negative for LT but positive for LT in a previous hybridization assay with a different LT probe was also positive by PCR. This may indicate that the LT gene is present but either is not expressed or is expressed below detectable levels. Amplification of specific DNA sequences by PCR provides a highly sensitive and specific tool for the detection of pathogenic microorganisms directly from clinical specimens without the need for prior isolation. This technique may find wide application in the detection of other organisms in addition to enterotoxigenic E.coli.
 ...
PMID:Detection of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli after polymerase chain reaction amplification with a thermostable DNA polymerase. 264 92

Based on the invasive plasmid antigen H gene (ipaH) of S. dysenteriae, one pair of specific primers was designed for PCR assays in this study. The concentrations of dNTP, Mg2+ and primer, dosage of Taq DNA polymerase, annealing temperature and circulating parameter in the PCR amplification system were optimized. In this way, a rapid and stable method of PCR assay for the detection of S. dysenteriae was established. The specificity and sensitivity of PCR were also analyzed. The detection limits of pure culture and genomic DNA in the PCR assay were 1.06 x 10(2) cfu/ml and 106.34 pg/PCR system, respectively. The detection limit for S. dysenteriae in artificially contaminated food samples was 3.21 x 10(4) cfu/ml. These results indicated that the PCR method for S. dysenteriae detection was simple, rapid, high in specificity and sensitivity and suitable for the detection of pathogens in foods caused by Shigella dysenteriae.
 ...
PMID:[Rapid detection of Shigella dysenteriae by PCR assay]. 2103 39