that pesky fluorescent front...

[Robot Boy]

to anyone who's had that buffer front-like fluorescent front...

any of you still need mineral oil overlays on your reactions ?

we've sort of noticed that when our samples are made on thermal cyclers 
that don't require mineral oil, we've had no problems. When we remove the 
mineral oil (either by extraction or with that handy parafilm method), the 
problem has not been there...could mineral oil be part of the problem ?
I don't see why it should, and I hate perpetuating folklore but unless we 
come up with a reasonable explanation, this will have to become one of 
those "we don't know why, but it seems to be that way..." type of thing...

thanks for your replies,

Ed Taboada
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Canada