FIG. 1.

Sensitivity of the TaqMan assay for Y. pestis. Total (chromosomal and plasmid) DNA isolated from Y. pestis K25 cells was used as the template in quantities of 5, 1, 0.2, 0.04, 0.008, and 0.0016 ng. Primers for a 344-bp region of the Y. pestis pla gene were used with 10 pmol of the MS002 probe per sample. The graph depicts amplification plots for each template; plot 1 is the 5-ng template, etc. Plot 7 is a no-template control. Inset: agarose gel electrophoresis image of respective PCR products. Lane M, 100-bp DNA ladder. Lane 1 corresponds to plot 1, etc. Lane 7 is a no-template control. (This figure was previously presented as a poster at a Department of Defense meeting.)