Patent · US Expired

Compositions and methods for inhibiting dimerization of primers during storage of polymerase chain reaction reagents

US5565339A · kind A · utility

67Cited by
7References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 20, 1994
Grant dateOct 15, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 20, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC12Q1/6848
  • WIPO fieldBiotechnology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Improvements to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a process for in vitro enzymatic amplification of specific nucleic acid sequences, can be achieved by changing the way that PCR reagents are mixed and the enzymatic reaction is started and by the replacement of mineral oil, commonly used as a vapor barrier to minimize solvent evaporation, by a grease or wax. The use of such mixtures allows for the delay of reagent mixing until the first heating step of a PCR amplification, thereby reducing the enzymatic generation of nonspecific products which occurs when a complete mixture of PCR reagents, with or without test sample, stands at room temperature or below. These mixtures increase the shelf-life of PCR reagents and increase protection of the laboratory environment against contamination by PCR product.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.