Analytical Sciences


Abstract − Analytical Sciences, 19(12), 1567 (2003).

Microanalysis of Nucleic Acids Using the Limulus G Test
Takahisa ANADA,* Kazuya KOUMOTO,* Masami MIZU,* Ryouji KARINAGA,* Kazuo SAKURAI,*  and Seiji SHINKAI**
*Department of Chemical Process and Environments, The University of Kitakyushu, 1-1, Hibikino, Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 808-0135, Japan
**Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
The limulus G test has been used as a quantitative analysis of (13)- β-D-glucans, including schizophyllan (SPG) and curdlan. The present work extended the limulus G test to detect polynucleotide/SPG complexes. The complex showed an extremely sensitive response to the test, compared with SPG itself. The minimum concentration of the complex to show the response is almost 10-times as small as that of SPG itself, indicating the possibility to detect (13)- β-D-glucans or/and polynucleotides on the pico gram/ml scale.