This is part two of our “Let’s Talk about Real-time PCR” post, so check out part one if you haven’t yet.
Are you seeing strange or unexpected results in your quantitative PCR (qPCR) reactions? Here are some commonly experienced issues, and some possible solutions to try.
Why is my PCR efficiency so low?
The efficiency of a PCR reaction is the fraction of target molecules copied every PCR cycle. In general, an efficiency of at least 90% is recommended. Many factors can contribute to a lower efficiency, including inefficient annealing between the primers and target, the primers binding to competing sites, the presence of inhibitors in the sample, and insufficient reagents in the mix. Double check the primer sequences to make sure there are no potential competing reactions. Run a melting curve to make sure you aren’t amplifying unexpected products. Reaction conditions may need to be optimized.
My PCR efficiency is too high! How is it possible to have an efficiency greater than 1?
A PCR efficiency greater than 1 would suggest that more than 100% of the targets are replicated each cycle. What’s going on? The presence of inhibitors in the sample is frequently the source of efficiency measures greater than 1. The greatest inhibition is in the most concentrated samples used in a dilution series, so the effect of inhibition on the standard curve is more pronounced at one end and distorts the slope of the curve, changing the efficiency calculation. You may need to dilute the sample to dilute out any contaminants.
Why are my Ct values so low? There's no way there was that much target in my sample.
Your samples may have evaporated if they were not stored correctly, increasing the concentration of the target. Carry out a melting curve at the end of PCR to make sure you are only amplifying the expected target and not amplifying something unexpected or primer dimers.
Why is there amplification in the no-template control?
Your samples may have evaporated if they were not stored correctly, increasing the concentration of the target. Carry out a melting curve at the end of PCR to make sure you are only amplifying the expected target and not amplifying something unexpected or primer dimers.
We hope this is helpful as you troubleshoot your qPCR. Find more qPCR tips and solutions in by downloading our free Azure qPCR Troubleshooting guide.