Loop-mediated isothermal amplification for detection of nucleic acids

Abstract

Sequence-specific isothermal nucleic acid amplification techniques are ideally suited for use in molecular diagnostic applications because they do not require thermal cycling equipment and the reactions are typically fast. One of the most widely cited isothermal techniques is termed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). This protocol allows amplification times as fast as 5 to 10 min. Furthermore, various methodologies to detect amplification have been applied to LAMP to increase its utility for the point-of-care market. Basic LAMP protocols are provided herein for detection of specific DNA and RNA targets, along with a method to perform multiplex LAMP reactions, permitting even greater flexibility from this powerful technique.

Keywords: LAMP; isothermal amplification; molecular diagnostics.