Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) is a molecular fingerprinting method that separates polymerase chain reaction (PCR) generated DNA products. PCR products from a given reaction may be of similar size (bp) and conventional separation by agarose gel electrophoresis results only in a single DNA band that is largely non-descriptive. DGGE can overcome this limitation by separating PCR products based on sequence differences that results in differential denaturing characteristics of the DNA. During DGGE, PCR products encounter increasingly higher concentrations of chemical denaturant as they migrate through a polyacrylamide gel. Upon reaching a threshold denaturant concentration, the weaker melting domains of the double stranded PCR product will begin to denature at which time migration slows dramatically. Differing sequences of DNA will denature at different denaturant concentrations resulting in a unique pattern of bands. Each band theoretically representing a different DNA sequence.