Patent ID: 7226739
Filing Date: 2007-06-05
Classification: C12Q,Y02A

Abstract:
1. A method of determining the genotype of a bioagent comprising the steps of: selecting at least one pair of oligonucleotide primers, wherein one member of said pair of primers hybridizes to a first conserved region of nucleic acid encoding a ribosomal RNA and the other member of said pair of primers hybridizes to a second conserved region of nucleic acid encoding said ribosomal RNA wherein said first and second conserved regions flank a variable nucleic acid region that when amplified creates a unique base composition signature among at least eight bioagents; amplifying nucleic acid from at least one said bioagent with said pair of oligonucleotide primers to produce an amplification product; determining the molecular mass of said amplification product by mass spectrometry; calculating the base composition of said amplification product from said molecular mass; comparing said base composition of at least one said bioagent to nineteen or more calculated or measured base compositions of amplification products of known bioagents produced by using said at least one pair of oligonucleotide primers, thereby identifying said unknown bioagent at the species level; and identifying a sub-species characteristic of said bioagent, thereby determining the genotype of said bioagent.