The food testing industry has a never-ending need for pathogen testing solutions that are faster, less expensive, easy to use, and accurate.
Accuracy is regarded as a requirement in molecular assays for pathogen testing. Thus, in order to increase our product competitiveness, it is important to continue to make testing solutions that are faster, less expensive, and/or easier to use.
While much focus is given to the mechanisms of molecular amplification, sample preparation is a critical component to a pathogen detection system, too. We thus are focused on improving sample preparation.
We are seeking improvements to sample preparation so that we may neutralize inhibitors and lyse both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in an enriched sample. The ideal solution or technology should achieve these tasks with only two manual pipette steps: adding the sample to the reaction tube and withdrawing the processed sample.
- Tightly bind proteins like lysozyme, which can inhibit amplification
- Does not tightly bind proteins like DNA polymerase, Reverse Transcriptases and other commonly used life science enzymes
- Stable in a high-pH solution and still retains inhibitor binding characteristics to proteins like lysozyme
- Avoid magnesium chelation
- Has some demonstrated efficacy in complex samples, such as meat
- Binds or removes polyphosphates (pyrophosphate in particular) from the sample before it is added to the molecular test
- Magnetic particle based extraction
- Automation
- Use of traditional enzymatic lysis steps that drive complications for cost, shelf life, and ease of use
- Multi-step lyophilized rehydration solution
The Q&A is now closed.
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