Skip to main content
Log in

Quantification ofCoxiella burnetii by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a colorimetric microtiter plate hybridization assay (CMHA)

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A colorimetric microtiter plate hybridization assay (CMHA) for the quantitative determination ofCoxiella burnetii DNA after amplification by externally controlled polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is described. The quantification assay is based on an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format. Cloned DNA, representing a sequence complementary to an internal part of the diagnostic amplicon, was noncovalently attached to the wells of a microtiter plate. Biotinylated PCR product was hybridized to the immobilized capture probe. Bound product was detected via streptavidin horseradish peroxidase. The devised nonisotopic technique allows specific, rapid, and convenient quantification ofC. burnetii DNA. Additionally, it is compatible with standard laboratory ELISA equipment, making this assay amenable to automation and permitting processing of large sample numbers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Krauss H. Clinical aspects of Q fever in animals. Eur J Epidemiol 1989; 5: 454–455.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Marrie TJ. Acute Q fever. In: Marrie TJ (ed), Q fever: The disease, Vol 1. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1990: 125–160.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Marrie TJ. Q fever hepatitis. In: Marrie TJ (ed), Q fever: The disease, Vol. 1. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1990: 171–177.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Knab S. Zur Aussagefähigkeit diagnostischer Methoden beim Nachweis vonCoxiella burnetii. Vet. Med. Thesis, Giessen, Germany, 1979.

  5. Stein A, Raoult D. Detection ofCoxiella burnetii by DNA amplification using polymerase chain reaction. J Clin Microbiol 1992; 30: 2462–2466.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Willems H, Thiele D, Krauss H. Plasmid based differentiation and detection ofCoxiella burnetii in clinical samples. Eur J Epidemiol 1993; 9: 411–418.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Katz ED, DiCesare JL, Picozza E, Anderson MS. General aspects of PCR quantitation. Amplifications 1993; 10: 7–8.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Nedelman J, Heagerty P, Lawrence C. Quantitative PCR: Procedures and precisions. Bull Mathemat Biol 1992; 54: 477–502.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Frazier ME, Mallavia LP, Samuel JE, Baca OG. DNA probes for the identification ofCoxiella burnetti strains. Ann NY Acad Sci 1990; 590: 445–458.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mallavia LP, Whiting LL, Minnick MF, Heinzen R, Rescke D, Foreman M, Baca OG, Frazier ME. Strategy for detection and differentiation ofCoxiella burnetii strains using the polymerase chain reaction. Ann NY Acad Sci 1990; 590: 572–581.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bassam BJ, Caetano-Anolles G. Automated hot start PCR using mineral oil and paraffin wax. Biotechniques 1993; 14: 30.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sambrook J, Fritsch EF, Maniatis T. Molecular cloning, 2nd ed. New York: Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory Press, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Nagata Y, Yokota H, Kosuda O, Yokoo K, Takemura K, Kikuchi T. Quantification of picogram levels of specific DNA immobilized in microtiter wells. FEBS Lett 1985; 183: 379–382.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Linz U. Thermocycler temperature variation invalidates PCR results. Biotechniques 1990; 9: 286–293.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kitchin PA, Bootman JS. Quality control of the polymerase chain reaction. Rev Med Virol 1993; 3: 107–114.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Greenfield L, White TJ. Sample preparation methods. In: Persing DH, Smith TF, Tenover FC, White TJ, eds, Diagnostic molecular microbiology: Principles and applications. Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology, 1993: 122–137.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Skalnik DG, Orkin S. A rapid method for charakterizing transgenic mice. Biotechniques 1990; 8: 34.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Cone RW, Hobson AC, Meei-Li WH. Coamplified positive control detects inhibition of polymerase chain reaction. J Clin Microbiol 1992; 30: 3185–3189.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Gilliand G, Perrin S, Blanchard K, Bunn HF. Analysis of cytokine mRNA and DNA: Detection and quantitation by competitive polymerase chain reaction. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1990; 87: 2725–2729.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Gaudette MF, Crain WR. A simple method for quantifying specific mRNAs in small numbers of early mouse embryos. Nucl Acid Res 1991; 19: 1879–1884.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Babu JS, Kanangat S, Rouse BT. Limitations and modifications of quantitative polymerase chain reaction. J Immunol Methods 1993; 165: 207–216.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Jalava T, Lehtovaara P, Kallio A, Ranki M, Söderlund H. Quantification of hepatitis-B virus DNA by competitive amplification and hybridization on micro-plates. Biotechniques 1993; 15: 134–139.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Robinson MO, Simon MI. Determining transcript number using the polymerase chain reaction: Pgk-2 and PGK-2 transgene mRNA levels during spermatogenesis Nucl Acid Res 1991; 19: 1557–1562.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Siebert PD, Larrick JW. PCR MIMICS: competitive DNA fragments for use as internal standards in quantitative PCR. Biotechniques 1993; 14: 244–249.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Pannetier C, Delassus S, Darche S, Saucier C, Kourilsky P. A quantitative method for the titration of nucleic acids by enzymatic amplification (PCR) run to saturation. Nucl Acid Res 1993; 3: 577–583.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Marconi RT, Garon CF. Development of polymerase chain reaction primer sets for diagnosis and for species-specific identification of Lyme disease isolates by 16S rRNA signature nucleotide analysis. J Clin Microbiol 1992; 30: 2830–2834.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Wise DJ, Weaver TL. Detection of the Lyme disease bacterium,Borrelia burgdorferi, by using the polymerase chain reaction and a nonradioisotopic gene probe. J Clin Microbiol 1991; 29: 1523–1526.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Suzuki K, Okamoto N, Kano T. Colorimetric detection for PCR amplified HIV-1 DNA using magnetic beads. J Virol Methods 1993; 41: 341–350.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Romanowski G, Lorenz MG, Wackernagel W. Use of the polymerase chain reaction and electroporation ofEscherichia coli to monitor the persistence of extracellular plasmid DNA introduced into natural soils. Appl Environ Microbiol 1993; 59: 3438–3446.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Fritz.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fritz, E., Thiele, D., Willems, H. et al. Quantification ofCoxiella burnetii by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a colorimetric microtiter plate hybridization assay (CMHA). Eur J Epidemiol 11, 549–557 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01719307

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01719307

Key words

Navigation