• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2007

Helicases are ubiquitous enzymes, which utilize the energy liberated during nucleotide triphosphate hydrolysis to separate double-stranded nucleic acids into single strands. These enzymes are very attractive targets for the development of new antibacterial compounds. The PcrA DNA helicase from Staphylococcus aureus is a good candidate for drug discovery. This enzyme is unique in the genome of S. aureus and essential for this bacterium. Furthermore, it has recently been published that it is possible to identify inhibitors of DNA helicases such as PcrA. In this report, we study the properties of recombinant PcrA from S. aureus purified from Escherichia coli to develop ATPase and helicase assays to screen for inhibitors.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.351-359
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• 2021

The red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV) belonging to genus Megalocytivirus is responsible for red sea bream iridoviral disease (RSIVD) in marine and freshwater fishes. Although several diagnostic assays for RSIV have been developed, diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) and specificity (DSp) of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays are not yet evaluated. In this study, we developed a TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR method and evaluated its DSe and DSp. To detect RSIV, the probe and primers were designed based on consensus sequences of the major capsid protein (MCP) genes from megalocytiviruses including RSIV, infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV), and turbot reddish body iridovirus (TRBIV). The probe and primers were shown to be specific for RSIV, ISKNV, and TRBIV-types megalocytiviruses. A 95% limit of detection (LOD_95%) was determined to be 5.3 viral genome copies/µL of plasmid DNA containing the MCP gene from RSIV. The DSe and DSp of the developed real-time PCR assay for field samples (n = 112) were compared with those of conventional PCR assays and found to be 100% and 95.2%, respectively. The quantitative results for SYBR Green and TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR were not significantly different. The TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR assay for RSIV may be used as an appropriate diagnostic tool for qualitative and quantitative analysis.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2019

Dirofilaria immitis (D. immitis) is a filarial nematode that causes cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis in dogs. In the late stages of infection, infected dogs show one or more symptoms and advanced heart disorder with perivascular inflammation. To detect D. immitis specifically and efficiently in the early stages of infection, a duplex TaqMan qPCR assay was developed based on previous studies using primers and probes specialized to detect D. immitis cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and dog glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). As positive controls, plasmid DNAs were constructed from D. immitis COI or dog GAPDH and a TA-cloning vector. Simplex and duplex TaqMan qPCR assays were performed using the specific primers, probes, and genomic or plasmid DNA. The duplex reaction developed could detect D. immitis COI and dog GAPDH in the same sample simultaneously after optimization of the primer concentrations. The limit of detection was 25 copies for the simplex and duplex assays, and both showed good linearity, high sensitivity, and excellent PCR efficiency. The duplex assays for pathogen detection reduce the costs, labor, and time compared to simplex reactions. Therefore, the duplex TaqMan qPCR assay developed herein will allow efficient D. immitis detection and quantification from a large number of samples simultaneously.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.40.1-40.8
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• 2020

Avian influenza (AIV) outbreaks can induce fatal human pulmonary infections in addition to economic losses to the poultry industry. In this study, we aimed to develop a rapid and sensitive point-of-care AIV test using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology. We designed three sets of reverse transcription LAMP (RT-LAMP) primers targeting the matrix (M) and hemagglutinin (HA) genes of the H5 and H9 subtypes. RT-LAMP targeting the universal M gene was designed to screen for the presence of AIV and RT-LAMP assays targeting H5-HA and H9-HA were designed to discriminate between the H5 and H9 subtypes. All three RT-LAMP assays showed specific amplification results without nonspecific reactions. In terms of sensitivity, the detection limits of our RT-LAMP assays were 100 to 1,000 RNA copies per reaction, which were 10 times more sensitive than the detection limits of the reference reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (1,000 to 10,000 RNA copies per reaction). The reaction time of our RT-LAMP assays was less than 30 min, which was approximately four times quicker than that of conventional RT-PCR. Altogether, these assays successfully detected the existence of AIV and discriminated between the H5 or H9 subtypes with higher sensitivity and less time than the conventional RT-PCR assay.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1164-1169
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• 2008

We developed multiplex RT-PCR assays that can detect and identify 12 hemagglutinin (H1-H12) and 9 neuraminidase (N1-N9) subtypes that are commonly isolated from avian, swine, and human influenza A viruses. RT-PCR products with unique sizes characteristic of each subtype were amplified by multiplex RT-PCRs, and sequence analysis of each amplicon was demonstrated to be specific for each subtype with 24 reference viruses. The specificity was demonstrated further with DNA or cDNA templates from 7 viruses, 5 bacteria, and 50 influenza A virus-negative specimens. Furthermore, the assays could detect and subtype up to $10^5$ dilution of each of the reference viruses that had an original infectivity titer of $10^6\;EID_{50}/ml$. Of 188 virus isolates, the multiplex RT-PCR results agreed completely with individual RT-PCR subtyping results and with results obtained from virus isolations. Furthermore, the multiplex RT-PCR methods efficiently detected mixed infections with at least two different subtypes of influenza viruses in one host. Therefore, these methods could facilitate rapid and accurate subtyping of influenza A viruses directly from field specimens.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2021

Xylella fastidiosa is the most damaging pathogen in many parts of the world. To increase diagnostic capability of X. fastidiosa in the field, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay were developed to mqsA gene of citrate-synthase (XF 1535) X. fastidiosa and evaluated for specificity and sensitivity. Both assays were more robust than current published tests for detection of X. fastidiosa when screened against 16 isolates representing the four major subgroups of the bacterium from a range of host species. No cross reaction with DNA from healthy hosts or other species of bacteria has been observed. The LAMP and PCR assays could detect 10-4 pmol and 100 copies of the gene, respectively. Hydroxynaphthol blue was evaluated as an endpoint detection method for LAMP. There was a significant color shift that signaled the existence of the bacterium when at least 100 copies of the target template were present.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.259-266
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• 2019

Emulsion polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is performed on compartmentalized DNA, allowing a large number of PCR reactions to be carried out in parallel. Emulsion PCR has unique advantages in DNA amplification. It can be applied in many molecular biological assays, especially those requiring highly sensitive and specific DNA amplification. This review discusses the principle of emulsion PCR and its applications in biotechnology. Related technologies are also discussed.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.46.1-46.7
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• 2022

Influenza A virus (IAV) is the most widespread pathogen causing human respiratory infections. Although polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods are currently the most commonly used tools for IAV detection, PCR is not ideal for point-of-care testing. In this study, we aimed to develop a more rapid and sensitive method than PCR-based tools to detect IAV using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology. We designed reverse-transcriptional (RT)-LAMP primers targeting the hemagglutinin gene. RNAs from reference H1N1 and H3N2 showed specific RT-LAMP signals with the designed primers. We optimized the reaction conditions and developed universal reaction conditions for both LAMP assays. Under these conditions, the detection limit was 50 copies for both RT-LAMP assays. There was no non-specific signal to 19 non-IAV respiratory viruses, such as influenza B virus, coronaviruses, and respiratory syncytial viruses. Regarding the reaction time, a positive signal was detected within 25 min after starting the reaction. In conclusion, our RT-LAMP assay has high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of the H1 and H3 subtypes, making it suitable for point-of-care IAV testing.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.184-190
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• 2011

Ralstonia solanacearum, a causal agent of bacterium wilt is very difficult to control once the disease becomes endemic. Thus, Ralstonia solanacearum is a plant quarantine bacterium in many countries including Korea. In this study, we developed PCR assays, which can detect Ralstonia solanacearum from the Solanaceae seeds. Primers RS-JH-F and RS-JH-R amplified specifically a 401 bp fragment only from Ralstonia solanacearum race 1 and race 3. The nested PCR primers, RS-JH-F-ne and RS-JH-R-ne that were designed inside of 1st PCR amplicon amplified specifically a 131 bp fragment only from Ralstonia solanacearum race 1 and race 3. The primers did not amplify any non-specific DNA from the seed extracts of the Solanaceae including tomato and pepper. When detection sensitivity were compared using the Solanaceae seeds inoculated with target bacteria artificially, the nested PCR method developed in this study 100 times more sensitive than ELISA and selective medium. Therefore, we believe that the PCR assays developed in this work is very useful to detect Ralstonia solanacearum in the Solanaceae seeds.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.119-129
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• 1996

The present study was conducted to rapidly detect Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk. Specificity and sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction(PCR) technique, and direct PCR were examinded in raw milk, also were compared the calssical culture methods with PCR technique. This method used a pair of primers based on a unique region in the 16S rRNA sequence of L nomocytogenes. In the PCR specificity tests, each of the 10 strains of L monocytogenes tested gave a single 70-bp band. But the other six Listera spp tested gave negative results. Results of the sensitivity tests showed that as few as 2 CFU of L monocytogenes in pure cultures could be detected with 16S rRNA-based primers, L-1 and L-2. In different PCR cycles, a PCR product was detected with $10^3$ cells of L monocytogenes from 25 cycles to 50 cycles and the concentration of PCR products was cycle-dependent. Raw milk samopes added L monocytogenes cells gave negative results. However, these samplers gave a single 70-bp band by pretreatment of pronase, and PCR products were detected with $10^1$ cells of L monocytogenes. To detemine the most sensitive culture protocol to use in conjunction with the PCR assay, raw milk samples were inoculated with L monocytogenes at concentrations ranging from 1 to $5.7{\times}10^4CFU/ml$. PCR assays from Listeria enrichment broth(LEB) containing raw milk samples added L monocytogene EGD could dtect 10 cells in pronase-pretreated samples without incubation, and 1 cell of L monocytogenes in both 12 hr and 24 hr incubation, respectively. Isolation raw of PCR assays was similar to that of classical culture methods, but required time for detection of L monocytogenes could remarkably be reduced compare to culture methods.