Two methods for construction of internal amplification controls for the detection of Escherichia coli O157 by polymerase chain reaction

• Published in: Molecular and cellular probes Vol. 16; no. 5; pp. 335 - 339
• Main Authors: Abdulmawjood, A., Roth, S., Bülte, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2002
• Subjects: DNA Primers; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; Escherichia coli O157 - genetics; Escherichia coli O157 - isolation & purification; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Microbiology; internal amplification control, PCR, Escherichia coli O157, false negative results; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Polymerase Chain Reaction - standards; Reference Standards; internal amplification control, PCR, Escherichia coli O157, false negative results
• ISSN: 0890-8508; 1096-1194
• DOI: 10.1006/mcpr.2002.0431

For the detection of food born bacteria by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in food products, an internal amplification control (IAC) is required in order to prevent false negative results that might be caused by PCR inhibitors. In the present study, two IACs were constructed using two different methods. These IACs were designed in a way that the same primer pair can be used to amplify the target DNA and coamplify the IAC. The first IAC with a size of approximately 200bp was constructed by deleting a part of the amplicon of the original target DNA (500bp) between the two primer sites to produce an IAC smaller than the target DNA. The second IAC with a size of approximately 600bp was synthesized in a one step PCR reaction. The primers used in this reaction possessed 5′ over-hanging ends, which were identical to the primers used in the diagnostic reaction, whereas their 3′ ends were complementary to the (pUC19) predetermined DNA sequence of defined length and sequence. The concentration of IACs appeared to be critical. Too much IAC DNA template would out-compete the target DNA template, thus giving a false negative result. However the use of an optimal IAC concentration increased the reliability of the PCR assays and appeared to be useful for food diagnostics.