At 8:57 AM 3/13/95, forbes at cip.org.ec wrote:
>We would like to initiate some PCR based methods near Quito,
>Ecuador at an altitude of 3050 m above sea level. Water boils
>here at 89 C which will not allow us to bring the vials up above
>this temperature. Our PCR machine has not yet arrived but we
>would like to have some ideas on how this problem might be solved
>before it does.
>Many thanks
>Greg Forbes
>Hi Greg,
I haven't seen any replies to your message. Have you received any?
Your question is somewhat intruiging. I wonder, first of all, would DNA
and the enzymes behave as you would like, at the lower temperature, since
they are at lower pressure at the same time? Another thought; if the tubes
are tightly capped the reactions may not bump, or boil, so long as the
pressure within each tube is contained. Essentially, the pressure within
each tube will actually be mucher higher than your ambientt air
pressure anyway and so you will not have a problem. Failing that, I can
only imagine that you might build some sort of pressure controlled box
to contain the thermal cycler while performing PCR. Please let me know what
you come up with, and best of luck!
Geoff Rule
Geoffrey S. Rule
Analytical Chemistry Labs
NYSAES/ Cornell University
Geneva, NY 14456
1-315-787-2435
