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RAPID PCR OF BACILLUS ANTHRACIS DNA

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: 1R43AI052936-01
Agency Tracking Number: AI052936
Amount: $98,330.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2002
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
MEGABASE RESEARCH PRODUCTS 2820 N 48TH ST, STE 110
LINCOLN, NE 68504
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 NISHA PADHYE
 (402) 467-6499
 NPADHYE@CVIENZYMES.COM
Business Contact
 R NELSON
Phone: (402) 467-6499
Email: MNELSON@CVIENZYMES.COM
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Anthrax or Woolsorter's Disease is a zoonotic infection caused by Bacillus anthracis. During the peak of the 'anthrax letter scare of 2001', the US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases was testing over 2000 samples per day. At the present time, nearly all anthrax testing at USAMRIID relies on microbiological methods, which require one to two days to carry out. Much faster and more informative diagnosis is possible using PCR-based methods; in particular using new machines designed for high-speed amplification of DNA fragments 100 to 500 base pairs long. The fastest PCR machine employed to date is a pressurized He/CO2 gas thermocycler with digitally programmable electronic valves. Using this gas burst device, a 368 b.p. DNA fragment from B. anthracis Sterne (vaccine) strain was amplified 108-fold through 30 PCR cycles in <4 minutes. Even faster (1.5 to 3.0 minute) PCR-amplification of B. anthracis plasmid-encoded virulence factors (pag, lef, cya, capA, capC) is possible using shorter (151 -288 b.p.) amplicons and/or fewer (20-25) PCR cycles. The present experiments seek to improve the ease-of-use of this high performance He/CO2 gas thermocycler, for deployment at USAMRIID within the next year.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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