PCR Clamping BNA Sequence DNA Primer Amplification

The technique known as PCR Clamping imparts the ability to resolve single-base differences in template strands available to amplify or detect. By setting up a competition for the primer site between a BNA sequence and a DNA primer that differs by one base, one can selectively inhibit the amplification of one allele and not interfere with the amplification of the other allele. The tighter binding combined with greater specificity of BNA/DNA duplexes makes this process possible. BNA is much less tolerant of a single base mismatch. Also, by binding to or in the primer site's vicinity, one can suppress the amplification of a wild type while amplifying the mutants expressed in the BNA binding region. The BNA will selectively suppress the amplification of perfect match (wild type) and not inhibit the amplification of a sequence that differs by as little as one base, i.e., the mutations.