MPprimer: a program for reliable multiplex PCR primer design

Background: Multiplex PCR, defined as the simultaneous amplification of multiple regions of a DNA template or multiple DNA templates using more than one primer set (comprising a forward primer and a reverse primer) in one tube, has been widely used in diagnostic applications of clinical and environmental microbiology studies. However, primer design for multiplex PCR is still a challenging problem and several factors need to be considered. These problems include mis-priming due to nonspecific binding to non-target DNA templates, primer dimerization, and the inability to separate and purify DNA amplicons with similar electrophoretic mobility. Results: A program named MPprimer was developed to help users for reliable multiplex PCR primer design. It employs the widely used primer design program Primer3 and the primer specificity evaluation program MFEprimer to design and evaluate the candidate primers based on genomic or transcript DNA database, followed by careful examination to avoid pr...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: BMCBI
• Authors: Zhiyong Shen, Wubin Qu, Wen Wang, Yiming Lu, Yonghong Wu, Zhifeng Li, Xingyi Hang, Xiaolei Wang, Dongsheng Zhao, Chenggang Zhang
• Keywords: BMCBI 2010, Multiplex Pcr, Multiplex Pcr Primers, Primer Design