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Abstract
The reproducibility of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was tested using two
different thermal cyclers and three brands of Taq DNA polymerase. Three different
oligonucleotides were used to obtain patterns of amplified fragments from three DNA
samples (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Thermococcus littoralis). Experiments
were repeated three to six times. Apart from the expected between-oligonucleotide
and between-DNA variations, between-thermal cycler and between-DNA polymerase variations
were observed. Within the DNA-oligonucleotide-DNA-polymerase-thermal cycler, reproducibility
was excellent when the thermal cycler equipped with the best temperature regulation
was used, but was not as good with another brand of thermal cycler.