Myoglobin as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitor: A limitation for PCR from skeletal muscle tissue avoided by the use ofthermus thermophilus polymerase

Skeletal muscle tissue contains polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors that are coextracted by conventional nucleic acid extraction procedures. Myoglobin, a heme-containing molecule, was shown to act as a potent Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase inhibitor and is likely to be involved in muscle tissue-associated PCR inhibition. The use of Thermus thermophilus DNA polymerase avoids muscle tissue-associated PCR inhibition, and should be used in case of small amounts or instability of the targeted nucleic acid.