Abstract

A rapid method for generating a set of discrete DNA amplification products characteristic of a genome as a "fingerprint" for typing the genome comprises the steps of: forming a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) admixture by combining, in a PCR buffer, genomic DNA and at least one structural RNA consensus primer, and subjecting the PCR admixture to a plurality of PCR thermocycles to produce a plurality of DNA segments, thereby forming a set of discrete DNA amplification products. The method is known as the consensus sequence primed polymerase chain reaction (CP-PCR) method and is suitable for the identification of bacterial species and strains, including Staphylococcus and Streptococcus species, mammals and plants. The method of the present invention can identify species rapidly, using only a small amount of biological material, and does not require knowledge of the nucleotide sequence or other molecular biology of the nucleic acids of the organisms to be identified. Only one primer sequence is required for amplification and/or identification. The method can also be used to generate detectable polymorphisms for use in genetic mapping of animals and humans.

Other References

• Nelson et al., PNAS 86, 6686-6690 (1989)
• Cinco et al., FEMS Microbiol. Immunol., 47:511-514 (1989)
• Fox, Ann. Rev. Genet., 21:67-91 (1987)
• Giroux et al., J. Bacteriol., 170:5601-5606 (1988)
• Jeffreys et al., Nature, 316:76-79 (1985)
• Jinks-Robertson et al., "E. coli and S. typhimurium Neidhardt ed., American Society for Microbiology Press", Washington, D.C, pp. 1358-1385 (1987)
• Julier et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:4585-4589 (1990)
• McBride et al., Genomics, 5:561-573 (1989)
• Ohyama et al., Nature, 322:572-574 (1986)
• Rogers et al., Israel J. Med. Sci., 20:768-772 (1984)
• Vold, Microbiol. Rev., 49:71-80 (1985)
• Welsh et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 18:7213-7218 (1990