Real-time PCR methods to study expression of genes related to hypermutability.

Pathogenic bacteria can have sub-populations of hypermutable bacteria. This sub-population has a higher spontaneous mutation rate than the majority of the population which can be attributed to defects in proofreading and repair mechanisms. This leads to the evolution of drug-resistant strains of bacteria through genetic change. It is important to study the expression of genes involved in, for example, mismatch repair and the SOS system by real-time PCR to determine hypermutability and therefore provide an indicator of the mutagenic ability of certain strains of pathogenic bacteria.