Reverse transcriptase-free detection of viral RNA using Hemo Klentaq DNA polymerase.

ABSTRACT: COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the demand for the fast and reliable detection of viral RNA. Although various methods for RNA amplification and detection have been proposed, some limitations, including those caused by reverse transcription (RT), need to be overcome. Here, we report on the direct detection of specific RNA by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) requiring no prior RT step. It was found that Hemo KlenTaq (HKTaq), which is posed as DNA-dependent DNA polymerase, possesses reverse transcriptase activity and provides reproducible amplification of RNA targets with an efficiency comparable to common RT-PCR. Using nasopharyngeal swab extracts from COVID-19-positive patients, the high reliability of SARS-CoV-2 detection based on HKTaq was demonstrated. The most accurate detecti

SUBMITTER: Sakhabutdinova AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9597527 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature