Walter Ogston wrote:
>> Ellen Bolte (ellenaut at aol.com) writes:
>> > I am looking for information on detecting tetanus toxin by PCR.
> >
> I think you are under a misapprehension here. PCR is capable
> of detecting nucleic acids, not proteins like tetanus toxin.
> You could detect DNA sequences specific to C. botulinum perhaps,
> but it is possible that the toxin would persist after the DNA is
> gone.
Unless you can develop a PCR-like assay for proteins.
In-vitro amplification of amino-acid sequences. Perhaps
that could win you a 'Nobel Prize.'
Seriously,
One could use a PCR-EIA hybrid assay to detect small quants of
tetanus toxin, that prob would work; assuming one had sometype
of mono / polyclonal anti-tetanus.
