Why we are changing to miRCURY LNA PCR
We aim to provide the most innovative and high-quality products to help scientists overcome challenges and advance their research. Accordingly, we will stop producing miScript miRNA PCR products on May 1, 2021. miScript PCR products will be available after that date as long as our stocks last, and we recommend that miScript PCR users switch to our miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR systems.
qPCR-based miRNA analysis presents special challenges: their low abundance in common sample types often necessitates a preamplification step, and their short sequences make designing highly specific primers and probes difficult. Our miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR systems eliminate these issues and deliver robust and highly sensitive miRNA profiles without preamplification, even for the most demanding applications.
miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR provides several unique advantages:
- Unmatched sensitivity with quantification from just 1 miRNA copy
- Accurate detection from low miRNA content samples, such as serum/plasma, FFPE sections and LCM samples, without preamplification
- High specificity and discrimination of closely related miRNAs
- Easy online customization of assays and panels
- A fast and simple protocol that takes just 2–3 hours
miScript PCR kits to be phased out and their recommended successors
| To-be-phased-out product | Recommended successor product for SYBR Green detection | Recommended successor product for probe-based detection | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product name | Cat. No. | Product name | Cat. No. | Product name | Cat. No. |
| miScript Reagents | miRCURY LNA PCR Reagents |
miRCURY LNA Probe PCR Reagents | |||
| miScript II RT Kit (12) |
218160 | miRCURY LNA RT Kit | 339340 | miRCURY LNA RT Kit | 339340 |
| miScript II RT Kit (50) |
218161 | miRCURY LNA RT Kit |
339340 | miRCURY LNA RT Kit | 339340 |
| miScript SYBR Green PCR Kit (200) |
218073 | miRCURY LNA SYBR Green PCR Kit (200) | 339345 | miRCURY LNA Probe PCR Kit (200) | 339371 |
| miScript SYBR Green PCR Kit (1000) | 218075 | miRCURY LNA SYBR Green PCR Kit (600) |
339346 | miRCURY LNA Probe PCR Kit (800) |
339372 |
| miScript SYBR Green PCR Kit (2000) | 218076 | miRCURY LNA SYBR Green PCR Kit (4000) |
339347 | miRCURY LNA Probe PCR Kit (4000) |
339373 |
| miScript Assays | miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR Assays | miRCURY LNA miRNA Probe PCR Assays | |||
| miScript Primer Assay (100) | 218300 |
miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR Assay (200) |
339306 |
miRCURY LNA miRNA Probe PCR Assay (200) or |
339350 or 339351 |
| miScript Panels/Arrays | miRCURY PCR Panels | miRCURY Probe PCR Panels | |||
| miRNome miScript miRNA PCR Array | 331222 | 339322 | miRCURY LNA miRNA Probe PCR miRNome Panel | Contact us | |
| miScript miRNA PCR Pathway Array | 331221 | 339325 | miRCURY LNA miRNA Probe PCR Focus Panel | Contact us | |
| miScript miRNA HC PCR Array | 331223 |
miRCURY LNA miRNA miRNome PCR Panels |
339322 |
Varies | Contact us |
| miScript miRNA QC PCR Array | 331292 | miRCURY LNA miRNA QC PCR Panel | 339331 | Varies | Contact us |
| Custom miScript miRNA PCR Array | 331231 | miRCURY LNA miRNA Custom PCR Panel | 339330 | miRCURY LNA miRNA Probe PCR Custom Panel | Contact us |
| Other specialized miScript Kits | |||||
| miScript Plant RT Kit (50) | 218761 | Contact us for best solution | Contact us for best solution | ||
| miScript Plant RT Kit (96) |
218762 | Contact us for best solution |
Contact us for best solution | ||
| miScript Single Cell qPCR Kit (24) |
331053 | Contact us for best solution |
Contact us for best solution | ||
| miScript PreAMP Pathway Primer Mix |
331241
|
Learn more below | Learn more below | ||
| miScript PreAMP Pathway HC Primer Mix | 331242 | Learn more below | Learn more below | ||
| miScript PreAMP miRNome Primer Mix | 331251 | Learn more below | Learn more below | ||
| miScript PreAMP Custom Primer Mix | 331260 | Learn more below | Learn more below | ||
| miScript PreAMP PCR Kit (12) | 331451 | Learn more below | Learn more below | ||
| miScript PreAMP PCR Kit (60) | 331452 | Learn more below | Learn more below | ||
miRCURY LNA PCR – when sensitivity, accuracy and flexibility really matter
The miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR systems are available in both SYBR® Green- and probe-based versions and combine the speed and convenience of a universal reverse transcription reaction with the sensitivity and specificity of LNA-enhanced qPCR primers. The easy workflow is designed for high-performance miRNA profiling and delivers fast, accurate results for all sample types – even those with low RNA content.
Tailor the experimental setup to your specific needs using individual assays or fully flexible custom panels. Using the same cDNA reaction, shift seamlessly between individual predesigned or custom primer assays or panels. Our extraordinary offering of predesigned assays and panels allows you to detect and quantify even the rarest target with highest efficiency.
Accurate quantification without preamplification
Quantification of low-abundance miRNAs by qPCR usually requires preamplification, but the miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR systems provide accurate results without this extra step. What’s the secret? miRCURY PCR assays and panels contain optimally positioned locked nucleic acid (LNA) bases. LNA-enhanced oligos exhibit increased primer binding affinity, allowing the design of very short primers (and probes) that are both miRNA-specific and short enough to prevent overlap when binding to the target sequence. This just isn’t possible with traditional oligos. As a result, we are able to design an optimal assay to detect any biologically relevant miRNA with the highest specificity and sensitivity – without the need for preamplification.
The miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR system has already helped many scientists advance their research. Want to know more? This team used our system to discover new miRNA biomarkers for early diagnosis of osteoporosis. These researchers use it for detecting plasma miRNA signatures associated with phenotypes related to common human diseases. Our Guidelines for Profiling Biofluid miRNAs discuss how to monitor the efficiency of your PCR with RNA spike-ins and include other tips and tricks for successful PCR analysis of low miRNA content biofluid samples without preamplification.
If you have a specialized application that does require preamplification, please contact our experts for further support.
Your choice of detection chemistry
SYBR® Green-based assays are flexible to design and offer lower assay setup and running costs, but many researchers are concerned about false positives since the dye binds to all double-stranded DNA. False positives are usually due to sub-optimal PCR conditions, not the detection chemistry. Plus, SYBR® Green detection allows melting curve analysis immediately following PCR, so you can confirm high reaction specificity and rule out formation of primer–dimers or non-specific amplicons.
Hydrolysis probes provide highly sensitive and robust detection, because only the desired PCR product is detected. However, assay design can be a challenge for short targets like miRNA, and designing conventional DNA oligo primers and probes is often impossible. Plus, amplification artifacts can compete for reaction components, compromising assay sensitivity and efficiency, and reducing the yield of your desired PCR product.
Both methods can provide excellent results, as long as you use a highly specific PCR system with well-designed primers (and probes) and reaction conditions that are optimized to ensure that only the desired targets are amplified. The miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR assays and panels are enhanced with LNA, allowing us to create very short primers (and probes) that are spatially separated and still display extremely high affinity and specificity. miRCURY LNA PCR ensures a successful analysis every time, without primer–dimer interference or false positive results.
