Ligase chain reaction

The ligase chain reaction (LCR) is a method of DNA amplification. While the better-known PCR carries out the amplification by polymerizing nucleotides, LCR instead amplifies the nucleic acid used as the probe. For each of the two DNA strands, two partial probes are ligated to form the actual one; thus, LCR uses two enzymes: a DNA polymerase and a DNA ligase. Each cycle results in a doubling of the target nucleic acid molecule. A key advantage of LCR is greater specificity as compared to PCR.[1].

Target conditions

It has been widely used for the detection of single base mutations, as in genetic diseases.[2]

LCR and PCR may be used to detect gonorrhea and chlamydia, and may be performed on first-catch urine samples, providing easy collection and a large yield of organisms. Endogenous inhibitors limit the sensitivity, but if this effect could be eliminated, LCR and PCR would have clinical advantages over any other methods of diagnosing gonorrhea and chlamydia.[3]

References

1. ^ Wiedmann M, Wilson WJ, Czajka J, Luo J, Barany F, Batt CA. "Ligase chain reaction (LCR)--overview and applications." PCR Methods and Applications 1994 Feb;3(4):S51-64 PMID: 8173509
2. ^ Barany F. "Genetic disease detection and DNA amplification using cloned thermostable ligase." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Jan 1;88(1):189-93. PMID: 1986365
3. ^ New diagnostic tests for gonorrhea and chlamydia Gregory J. Locksmith MD. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Available online 13 February 1998.

General reading

* Walker, J. M., & Rapley, R. (2005). Medical biomethods handbook. Totowa, N.J.: Humana Press. ISBN 9781592598700

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