Rapid and sensitive method for detecting histoplasma capsulatum
First Claim
1. An oligonucleotide primer pair comprising sequences specific for the 5.8S rRNA gene of Histoplasma capsulatum, wherein both primers of said primer pair are specific for 5.8s rRNA, and wherein both primers of said pair specifically amplify 5.8S rRNA gene sequence, or an oligonucleotide comprising a sequence complementary to one or the other of the primer pair specific for the H. capsulatum 5.8S rRNA gene.
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Abstract
Oligonucleotides are provided which are useful as primers to initiate the amplification of a segment of Histoplasma capsulatum DNA that is specific to H. capsulatum, using the polymerase chain reaction. A method of detecting the presence of H. capsulatum in a sample using a nested, or two-stage, PCR assay is also provided. The outer pair of primers, for use in the first stage of the assay, are fungal-specific oligonucleotides; the inner pair of primers, for use in the second stage, are oligonucleotides specific for H. capsulatum.
60 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An oligonucleotide primer pair comprising sequences specific for the 5.8S rRNA gene of Histoplasma capsulatum, wherein both primers of said primer pair are specific for 5.8s rRNA, and wherein both primers of said pair specifically amplify 5.8S rRNA gene sequence, or an oligonucleotide comprising a sequence complementary to one or the other of the primer pair specific for the H. capsulatum 5.8S rRNA gene.
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2. An oligonucleotide comprising a sequence given by SEQ ID NO:
- 3 or a sequence complementary to that given by SEQ ID NO;
3, wherein the sequence of SEQ ID NO;
3 defines the 3′
end of the oligonucleotide or wherein the sequence complementary to SEQ ID NO;
3 defines the 3′
end of the oligonucleotide.
- 3 or a sequence complementary to that given by SEQ ID NO;
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3. An oligonucleotide comprising a sequence given by SEQ ID NO:
- 4 or a sequence complementary to that given by SEQ ID NO;
4, wherein the sequence of SEQ ID NO;
4 defines the 3′
end of the oligonucleotide or wherein the sequence complementary to SEQ ID NO;
4 defines the 3′
end of the oligonucleotide.
- 4 or a sequence complementary to that given by SEQ ID NO;
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4. A method of detecting H. capsulatum in a sample, comprising:
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(a) contacting the sample with an oligonucleotide primer pair specific for a fungal nucleic acid sequence that comprises the coding sequence for the 5.8S rRNA gene;
(b) amplifying a first amplified nucleic acid by a DNA polymerase chain reaction, wherein both primers of the oligonucleotide primer pair defines the limits of the first amplified nucleic acid and wherein the first amplified nucleic acid comprises fungal nucleic acid sequence that comprises the coding sequence for the 5.8S rRNA gene;
(c) contacting the first amplified nucleic acid from step (b) with a second oligonucleotide primer pair, wherein the second oligonucleotide primer pair are specific for the H. capsulatum 5.8S rRNA gene, and wherein each second oligonucleotide primer is specific for a nucleotide sequence of the first amplified nucleic acid;
(d) amplifying a second amplified nucleic acid by a DNA polymerase chain reaction, wherein the second oligonucleotide pair defines the limits of the second amplified nucleic acid; and
(e) detecting an amplification product of step (d), whereby detecting the amplification product of step (d) indicates the presence of H. capsulatum. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of detecting H. capsulatum in a sample, comprising:
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(a) contacting the sample with a first oligonucleotide primer comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO;
1 and a second oligonucleotide primer comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO;
2;
(b) amplifying a first amplified nucleic acid by a DNA polymerase chain reaction, wherein the first and second oligonucleotide primers define the limits of the first amplified nucleic acid;
(c) contacting the first amplified nucleic acid from step (b) with a third oligonucleotide primer comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO;
3 and a fourth oligonucleotide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO;
4;
(d) amplifying a second amplified nucleic acid by a DNA polymerase chain reaction, wherein the third and fourth oligonucleotide primers define the limits of the second amplified nucleic acid; and
(e) detecting an amplification product of step (d), whereby detecting the amplification product of step (d) indicates the presence of H. capsulatum.
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Specification