Polymerase chain reaction amplification of the genome of infectious bronchitis virus

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a portion of the genome of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Two synthetic primers that annealed to segments of the IBV genome in the matrix and nucleocapsid genes facilitated PCR amplification of a 1020-base sequence. Amplification was successful using template DNA from an IBV sequence-containing plasmid and using copy DNA created by reverse transcription of IBV genomic RNA. The PCR product was the expected size and had the expected nucleotide sequence.