PCR inhibition by U.V.

[Robert Horton]

Richard Near (rocket1 at bu.edu) wrote:
: 
: In order to eliminate contamination in my
: PCR reactions, I have treated most reagents
: with uv (except the oligos) including the
: wax, and am now getting poor yields where
: I used to get better yields using the same 
: temperatures/times.  THE question:: does uv
: create some chemical products that inhibit
: pcr????

I don't know if anyone has studied the effects of UV exposure on wax for PCR.
But why bother? Go to the drug store and get yourself a brand new jar of
Vaseline ("AmpliGrease") for <$3 and use that. (BioTechniques 16:42-43,
Jan 1994). If it gets contaminated, get a new jar.

: Also I have heard that just storing oligo's for
: long periods in water at -20 C. will result in
: the oligo's being less efficient for PCR..

I've had oligos stored frozen in unbufferred water at -20 for a couple of years
that still work fine...


Bob Horton (Ph.D.!)   /\ "Crash programs fail because of the theory that
U. of Minnesota, CBS  || with nine women pregnant you get a baby a month" 
1479 Gortner Ave.    /||\   -Werner von Braun.  Disclaimer:"Bob who?"
St. Paul, MN 55108    ^^   horton at molbio.cbs.umn.edu/(612) 624-3790