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Ligase Chain Reaction

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PCR Protocols

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology™ ((MIMB,volume 226))

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Abstract

The ligase chain reaction (LCR) is one of many techniques developed in recent years to detect specific nucleic acid sequences by amplification of nucleic acid targets. The LCR has been used for genotyping studies to detect tumors and identify the presence of specific genetic disorders such as sickle cell disease caused by known nucleotide changes that occur as a result of point mutations and has now become widely used in infectious disease detection, both in the diagnostic and research settings, primarily focusing on infections caused by microbes that have proven difficult to detect by traditional culture techniques. The LCR is now recognized as the method of choice for detection of urogenital infections due to Chlamydia trachomatis because of its greater sensitivity as compared to traditional cell culture or nonamplifed DNA probes or antigen-detection assays. Other uses of the LCR have also been reported (1–8). When used for detection of infectious diseases, amplification tests such as the LCR have the additional advantages in that they do not require viable organisms in a specimen, a single specimen can be used to detect multiple different pathogens, provided suitable primers are available, and easily obtained specimens such as urine can be used for diagnostic purposes, making screening of large numbers of persons practical, as well as facilitating research to better understand the epidemiology of specific diseases.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    *

    Abbott Diagnostics, which marketed the LCx Uriprobe that was FDA approved in 1994, is to be discontinued in June 2003 and after that time no commercial kits will use the LCR technology

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

    William H. Benjamin Jr. & Ken B. Waites

  2. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

    Kim R. Smith

Authors
  1. William H. Benjamin Jr.
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  2. Kim R. Smith
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  3. Ken B. Waites
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK

    John M. S. Bartlett

  2. Department of Hematology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

    David Stirling

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© 2003 Humana Press Inc.

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Benjamin, W.H., Smith, K.R., Waites, K.B. (2003). Ligase Chain Reaction. In: Bartlett, J.M.S., Stirling, D. (eds) PCR Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 226. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-384-4:135

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-384-4:135

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-89603-642-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-384-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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