How NEB offers an alternative to traditional rigid workflows
PCR-based diagnostics and genetic tests rely on DNA polymerase to extract and amplify DNA from blood samples. When developing the most recent addition to the company’s Q5 reagent portfolio, NEB recognized that a variety of substances found in blood samples often inhibit successful PCR. This forced scientists to turn to several labor-intensive steps needed to isolate and purify DNA, which often posed a high risk for sample loss or contamination.
With this latest DNA polymerase master mix, NEB overcame this isolation step — which had contributed to a significant portion of the cost and turnaround time associated with PCR-based testing. The company accomplished this by combining its existing Q5 Hot Start High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase with deoxynucleoside triphosphates in an optimized buffer, delivering increased resistance to inhibitors in blood, anti-coagulants, and chemicals on filter papers.