Did you take into account sequence homology when you developed the TaqMan Gene Expression Assays product?
During the TaqMan Gene Expression Assays product (including TaqMan Gene Expression Assays and Custom Plus TaqMan RNA Assays) design process, we take the following steps to avoid regions of ambiguity: 1. We BLAST the primer and probe designs against transcript databases to ensure specificity to ensure the chosen assay detects only transcript(s) from the gene of interest. 2. We BLAST primer and probe designs against genome databases in order to avoid assays that detect pseudo-genes or genomic DNA.
What region of my gene of interest does the TaqMan Gene Expression Assay product cover?
You can view TaqMan Gene Expression Assay product coverage on the Assay details page. To do this, search for your gene of interest, for example "Cox". On your results page, select the "Assay ID" for a particular TaqMan Gene Expression Assay; for example: Hs00187909_m1. The resulting page is the assay details page and will list regions covered by the TaqMan Gene Expression Assay.
When preparing the TaqMan or Custom TaqMan Gene Expression Assays, what is the recommended reaction volume?
When preparing the TaqMan or Custom TaqMan Gene Expression Assays, the recommended and supported volume is 20-50 µL for a 96-well standard plate set-up; 10-20 µL for a 96-well fast plate set-up and 5-10 µL for a 384-well set-up. For more information, please consult the TaqMan Gene Expression Assays and Custom TaqMan Gene Expression Assays protocols.
How much cDNA is recommended per TaqMan or Custom TaqMan Gene Expression reaction?
For optimal performance of the TaqMan and Custom TaqMan Gene Expression Assays, use 1 to 100 ng of cDNA per 50 µL total reaction volume. For more information, please consult the TaqMan Gene Expression Assay protocol and Custom TaqMan Gene Expression Assay protocol.
Can I use SYBR Green I dye in conjunction with the TaqMan Gene Expression Assays or Custom TaqMan Gene Expression Assays?
No, SYBR Green dye I is not compatible with the TaqMan Gene Expression Assays or Custom TaqMan Gene Expression Assays. TaqMan Gene Expression Assays or Custom TaqMan Gene Expression Assays contain TaqMan MGB probes combined with primers at non-limiting concentrations. The probes already have detection dyes conjugated to them, and SYBR Green is not needed. For more information, please consult the protocol of TaqMan Gene Expression Assays and Custom TaqMan Gene Expression Assays.