van Belkum A
Department of Molecular Biology, Diagnostic Center SSDZ, Delft, The Netherlands.
Clin Microbiol Rev. 1994 Apr;7(2):174-84. doi: 10.1128/CMR.7.2.174.
Selected segments of any DNA molecule can be amplified exponentially by PCR. This technique provides a powerful tool to detect and identify minimal numbers of microorganisms. PCR is applicable both in diagnosis and in epidemiology. By amplification of hypervariable DNA domains, differences can be detected even among closely related strains. PCR fingerprinting is a valuable tool for medical microbiologists, epidemiologists, and microbial taxonomists. The current state of PCR-mediated genotyping is reviewed, and a comparison with conventional molecular typing methods is included. Because of its speed and versatility, PCR fingerprinting will play an important role in microbial genetics, epidemiology, and systematics.
任何DNA分子的选定片段都可以通过聚合酶链式反应（PCR）呈指数级扩增。该技术为检测和鉴定极少量微生物提供了一个强大的工具。PCR在诊断和流行病学中均有应用。通过扩增高变DNA结构域，即使在亲缘关系密切的菌株之间也能检测到差异。PCR指纹图谱对于医学微生物学家、流行病学家和微生物分类学家而言是一种有价值的工具。本文综述了PCR介导的基因分型的现状，并与传统分子分型方法进行了比较。由于其速度快且用途广泛，PCR指纹图谱将在微生物遗传学、流行病学和系统学中发挥重要作用。
