A prototype cartridge system is described that rapidly disrupts Bacillus sp
ores by sonication, adds PCR reagent to the disrupted spores. and dispenses
the mixture into a PCR tube. The total time to automatically process the s
pores in the cartridge and then detect the spore DNA by real-time PCR was 2
0 min. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.