The polymerase chain reaction is one of the most important reactions in molecular biology. Single stranded DNA is copied in a complex series of steps, at the core of which lies the action of the DNA polymerase. At each nucleotide along the template, the polymerase screens the dNTP pool until it fi nds the complementary dNTP. The insertion of each dNMP is a balance between high fi delity and rap...

Recent studies have revealed the presence ofastroviruses and rotavirus in numerous poorly performing and healthy chicken and turkey flocks in the United States. The phylogenetic analysis of the sequence data produced during these studies has identified four groups of avian astroviruses circulating in the United States: turkey astrovirus types 1 and 2 (TAstV-1 and TAstV-2), avian nephritis virus...

Over the past decade rapid advances have occurred in the understanding of RNA expression and its regulation. Quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) have become the gold standard for quantifying gene expression. Microfluidic next generation, high throughput qPCR now permits the detection of transcript copy number in thousands of reactions simultaneously, dramatically increasing the sensi...

The emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) and extensively drug resistance (XDR) in Acinetobacter baumannii has made an important challenge in the treatment of infections caused by this organism. The ability of carbapenemase production is one of the main mechanisms for the emergence of MDR and/or XDR in A. baumannii. The aim of this study was to detect carbapenemase producer A. baumannii. In t...

Abstract Bull’s eye rot is a postharvest storage disease of apples. Until now the cause this in New Zealand was not clear. A survey 6880 apples from five regions over two seasons conducted. Neofabraea malicorticis and N. perennans were found. One hundred seventy-nine isolates identified as Phlyctema vagabunda by specific polymerase chain reactions and/or sequencing β-tubulin gene region followe...