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Sources, mechanisms and treatment methods of inhibitors in PCR reactions

As a revolutionary technology in the field of biological science, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been widely used in various fields such as gene cloning, mutation analysis, and disease diagnosis. The basic principle of PCR technology is an enzymatic synthesis reaction in an appropriate system in the presence of template DNA, DNA polymerase, four nucleotides, primers, necessary cofactors, etc. Inhibitors in the PCR reaction process will significantly reduce the sensitivity and amplification
Jan 16th,2025 1663 Views

Sources of PCR inhibitors

  1. The sample itself: Many samples will inevitably carry inhibitors during the collection process, such as polyphenols and leaf chlorophyll in plant samples, hemoglobin, fat, and urea in animal samples, and humic acid in microbial samples.
  2. Experimental procedures: During the experimental operation, some reagents and equipment may also become the source of inhibitors, such as insufficiently washed centrifuge tubes and pipette tips, as well as phenol and chloroform used in the extraction process.
  3. Reaction system: Reagents in the PCR reaction system, such as insufficiently purified dNTPs, enzyme preparations, etc., may also contain inhibitors.

Mechanism of action of PCR inhibitors

  1. Influence on binding to DNA template: Inhibitors can bind to the DNA template, preventing the binding and extension of DNA polymerase to the template, thereby reducing the amplification efficiency. For example, humic acid compounds contain many carboxyl groups and hydroxyl groups, which have physical and chemical properties similar to the phosphate groups in the DNA phosphate backbone, which in turn affects the binding of template DNA to primers and hinders the extension of the DNA chain. In addition, during the purification of the final reaction product, because humic acid and DNA have similar structures, the separation of humic acid inhibitors and template DNA is affected, thereby inhibiting the efficiency of PCR.
  2. Influence on binding to DNA polymerase: DNA polymerase is the core reagent raw material of PCR experiment, and its activity is directly related to the efficiency of PCR reaction. Studies have shown that heme, melanin, protease, metal ions, etc. can inhibit the activity of DNA polymerase, causing polymerase degradation, denaturation or inactivation of active areas, thereby affecting the binding of polymerase with primer inhibitors and templates; while humic acid can produce non-competitive inhibition with DNA polymerase, thereby reducing the maximum reaction rate of DNA polymerase.
  3. Dimer formation and changes in ionic strength in the reaction system: Primer dimers are formed by mismatches between the 3' ends of primers and can affect the primers; Mg 2+ It is an activator of DNA polymerase, Mg 2+ When the concentration is too high, it will reduce the specificity of amplification and inhibit DNA polymerase; 2+ When the concentration is too low, the amplification yield will be affected or even cause the amplification to fail.
  4. Oxidation: Some inhibitors have oxidative effects, leading to DNA degradation and affecting amplification results.

Removal of PCR inhibitors

1. The most fundamental way to overcome PCR inhibition is to remove the inhibitor from the sample

A. Sample processing

For different types of samples, appropriate pretreatment methods such as digestion, dissolution, washing, etc. are used to remove inhibitors.

(1) Plant samples: The CTAB method, SDS method and other extraction methods are used to remove inhibitors such as polyphenols and polysaccharides.

(2) Animal samples: Inhibitors such as proteins and lipids can be removed by methods such as proteinase K digestion and phenol-chloroform extraction.

(3) Microbiological samples: Inhibitors such as humic acid can be removed by using reagents such as sodium chloride and SDS, combined with steps such as centrifugation and washing.

B. Sample Purification

Use purification methods such as filtration columns and magnetic beads to remove inhibitors.

Second, the simplest way to overcome PCR inhibition is to dilute the sample, thereby reducing the concentration of PCR inhibitors.

Third, the most worry-free method is to use a modified DNA polymerase or reaction system that is resistant to PCR inhibitors.

For example, by using enzymes with strong tolerance to inhibitors or adding stabilizers such as bovine serum albumin (BSA) to the reaction system, the success of subsequent analysis can be guaranteed. However, the cost of improved enzymes is often high, and different improved enzymes and different optimized reaction systems may be required for different PCR inhibitors.

***To ensure the experimental results, we should avoid introducing new PCR inhibitors when removing PCR inhibitors. For example, in the selection of reagents, we should choose high-quality, inhibitor-free enzyme preparations, dNTPs, primers, etc.; during the experiment, we should strictly follow the experimental operation specifications to ensure that no inhibitors are introduced during the experiment, and ensure that the experimental equipment is fully washed to avoid cross contamination.

Summarize

PCR inhibitors are the "invisible killers" that affect the success of PCR experiments. Understanding their sources, mechanisms of action, and removal methods is of great significance for us to conduct PCR experiments. By taking a series of measures, such as optimizing sample processing, selecting high-quality reagents, and standardizing experimental operations, we hope to minimize the impact of inhibitors and ensure the smooth progress of the experiment.

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