Rapid bio-barcode assay for multiplex DNA detection based on capillary DNA Analyzer

The detection of virus at low copy number is important for clinical diagnosis. In this study, a rapid bio-barcode assay was developed and it could detect short sequences of four types of virus DNA simultaneously at the concentration as low as 5 pmol/L in 40 min with capillary 3730 DNA Analyzer. The background of the assay using high salt concentration prepared nanogold particle probes was five times less than that of the assay using conventionally prepared probes. With further optimization, the specificity of the complementary strands to the noncomplementary strands observed in the assay approached 140:1. Compared with the conventional bio-barcode assay, the current assay provides an alternative enzyme and labor-free selection of timesaving, better sensitivity and specificity, as well as higher throughput. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.