As PCR (polymerase chain reaction) continues to expand to new areas, improvements in PCR reagents have followed suit.
Choices include several types of Taq polymerase, dNTPs, buffers, kits, and Master Mixes, which are premixed, ready-to-use solutions.
The application span of PCR is enormous, encompassing numerous biomedical areas, forensics, gene therapy, food/beverage, and environmental testing, to name a few.
Whether the technique involved is routine PCR requiring yes/no sequence detection, RT-PCR, hot start PCR, Q-PCR, long PCR, or site-directed mutagenesis, users are looking for reagent consistency, speed of amplification, precise DNA copying, and specificity to the target DNA sequence.
Inhibitor-resistant reagents and buffers can help reduce the number of sample prep steps, and reagents providing higher fidelity of amplification are of particular importance when making libraries for next-generation sequencing.
Recommended Reading:
-
With the advent of thermocyclers and the accessibility of PCR reagents, running PCR in the lab has become relatively simple. However, there is always room for improvement. This editorial reviews various types of PCR polymerases and unique features.