Method for detecting biological toxins

Patent · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6616547

Ligler, F S; Campbell, J R

Biological toxins are indirectly detected by using polymerase chain reaction to amplify unique nucleic acid sequences coding for the toxins or enzymes unique to toxin synthesis. Buffer, primers coding for the unique nucleic acid sequences and an amplifying enzyme are added to a sample suspected of containing the toxin. The mixture is then cycled thermally to exponentially amplify any of these unique nucleic acid sequences present in the sample. The amplified sequences can be detected by various means, including fluorescence. Detection of the amplified sequences is indicative of the presence of toxin in the original sample. By using more than one set of labeled primers, the method can be used to simultaneously detect several toxins in a sample.

• Research Organization: Department of the Navy, Washington, DC (United States)
• Assignee: Department of the Navy, Washington, DC (United States)
• Patent Number(s): PAT-APPL-7-818 600
• OSTI ID: 6616547
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AFLATOXINS
ANTIBODIES
ANTIGENS
ANTITOXINS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL WARFARE
CLOSTRIDIUM
CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM
DETECTION
DNA POLYMERASES
ENZYMES
FLUORESCENCE
GENE AMPLIFICATION
GENES
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
LUMINESCENCE
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEOTIDYLTRANSFERASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS-GROUP TRANSFERASES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLYMERASES
PROTEINS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TOXIC MATERIALS
TOXINS
TRANSFERASES
WARFARE