A team of researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has created a new method for target DNA sequence amplification, testing, and analysis.
This new technique, known as AMPLON (Amplifying DNA with Multiarm Priming and Looping Optimization of Nucleic Acid), offers an alternative to the widely accepted Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, which was considered the “gold standard.” This new method opens up the potential for more applications in medical diagnosis.
The team’s recent findings were published in the journal Advanced Materials.
According to Mohamed S. Draz, an assistant professor at the School of Medicine and the principal investigator of the study, “AMPLON has the potential to positively change the way molecular analysis and clinical diagnostics are performed, from infectious-disease diagnostics to personalized medicine and environmental monitoring.”
How it works
Researchers use this technology to compare the DNA of sick cells to that of healthy cells, which helps them better understand the changes that occur as a disease progresses.AMPLON offers various extensions along the DNA strand to enhance the speed and precision of DNA synthesis while maintaining a constant temperature. This simplified process eliminates the need to switch between high and low temperatures, which can be stressful for materials. It also makes the amplification process more organized and accessible, particularly in environments where precise temperature control is difficult.
In the traditional PCR method, the DNA sample is heated to separate it into two single-stranded DNA pieces. Then, anThe process of DNA amplification involves the enzyme building two new strands of DNA using the original strands as templates. This process can be tedious, time-consuming, and expensive. However, a new method of DNA amplification has been developed that does not require bulky lab-bound equipment and can be conducted in one step and in diverse settings. This approach also does not weaken enzymes like the PCR method. AMPLON’s multiarmed DNA primer design can turn the shortcomings of enzymes into strengths to improve amplification efficiency and produce consistent results. With this method, amplification has been enhanced and amplification time has been reduced.Draz mentioned that their approach has the potential to significantly change the way nucleic acid amplification is carried out, offering a portable, reliable, and cost-effective solution for various applications such as point-of-care diagnostics and field-based research. The study was published in the journal Advanced Materials
