Dealing with contamination: enzymatic control of carryover contamination in PCR.

Preventing PCR amplification carryover contamination in a clinical laboratory.

During the past two decades PCR and several other DNA/RNA amplification techniques have become important diagnostic tools in clinical laboratories. Amplification products contamination has been the main impediment to using these techniques routinely in diagnostic laboratories. Over the years, several creative pre- and post-amplification methods have been developed that prevent amplicon carryove...

Post-PCR sterilization: a method to control carryover contamination for the polymerase chain reaction

We describe a photochemical procedure for the sterilization of polynucleotides that are created by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The procedure is based upon the blockage of Taq DNA polymerase when it encounters a photochemically modified base in a polynucleotide strand. We have discovered reagents that can be added to a PCR reaction mixture prior to amplification and tolerate the thermal...

Control of Contamination Associated with PCR and Other Amplification Reactions

A systematic analysis of PCR contamination.

In light of the strict legal scrutiny surrounding DNA typing at this time, it has become necessary to systematically address the issue of PCR contamination. To precisely define the parameters affecting PCR contamination under casework analysis conditions, PCR amplification reactions were intentionally compromised by employing sub-standard laboratory technique and by introducing secondary source...

Robust Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR for Detection of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Neutralizing Carryover Contamination.

During an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR) is the most commonly used diagnostic method to detect viral RNA. However, while this assay is often conducted during the outbreak period, there is an inevitable risk of carryover contamination. This study shows that the carryover contamination can be prevented by the use of target-specific restrict...