Life Science Review

Jeremy Williams

The IsoFast Bst Polymerase range's release aligns with the company's commitment to offering robust solutions to help COVID-19 testing and will continue to expand diagnostic potentials.

PCR Biosystems, the UK-based expert in DNA and RNA analysis, launches a range of IsoFast Bst Polymerase reagents for quick, robust and sensitive DNA RNA amplification. Bst polymerase avoids the requirement for the high-temperature denaturation step connected with traditional Taq enzymes through its nucleic acid strand displacement potentials. This allows faster time to result and facilitates DNA and RNA amplification in the field without specialized thermocycling equipment.

The new range of IsoFast Bst reagents from PCR Biosystems can be leveraged for many techniques, including whole genome amplification, much displacement amplification and isothermal amplification. Such tactics have essential applications in environmental and food pathogen testing to clinical diagnostics and next-generation sequencing. Scientists doing DNA and RNA amplification leveraging IsoFast Bst Polymerase can benefit from consistent results over a dynamic range and sensitivities down to 3 copies of target DNA (10fg).

To continue PCR Biosystems support of the global fight against COVID-19, the Bst Polymerase reagents have been validated for the qualitative detection of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid. Coupled with the reagents suitability for use in the field, this validation opens the ability for rapid SARS-CoV-2 testing in environments like airports, hospitals or care homes, without the requirement for a central laboratory, offering results in 30 minutes and supporting initiatives for community or regular testing to safeguard public health.

DNA and RNA amplification has been a staple technique in the scientific toolbox for more than 40 years. With its application for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing, there has been an accelerated demand for quick and reliable reagents for mass testing.  While supply chains have been disrupted due to the pandemic, PCR Biosystems continue to accelerate and optimize operations to offer consistent, reliable supplies to customers, ensuring laboratories have the DNA and RNA analysis reagents required uninterrupted research and diagnostics.