Not too many people believe this myth, and yet their actions are somewhat irrational as they proceed to immediately use that approach to try to experimentally optimize a

Myth 6: At the End of PCR, Amplification Efficiency Is Not Exponential Because the Primers or NTPs Are Exhausted or the Polymerase Looses Activity

PCR amplification occurs with a characteristic “S” shape. During the early cycles of PCR, the

To minimize mispriming, several PCR texts suggest performing a BLAST search, and such capability is a part of some primer design packages such

A common artifact in PCR is the amplification of “primer dimers.” The most common conception of the origin of primer dimers is that two primers hybridize at their

Myth 3: Designing Forward and Reverse Primers to Have Matching Tm’s Is the Best Strategy to Optimize for PCR

Nearly all “experts” in PCR design would claim to believe in myth 3. Most current software packages base their design strategy

Myth 2: Best Methods for Predicting Hybridization Tm

Best methods for predicting hybridization Tm are essentially equivalent in accuracy. The melting temperature, Tm, of duplex formation is usually defined as the temperature at which half the available strands are in