Real-time PCR Miner

 Sheng Zhao* and Russell D. Fernald

Department of Biological Sciences & Program in Neuroscience

Stanford, California 94305-5020

News: Miner 2.1 has been developed! The current website has also been updated to the new version which is at least ten times faster, more accurate and more stable. It also support much larger sample data (like 384-well plate).

 

For Miner user, is it possible to purchase the license and get an executable software package of Miner for research groups?

For Real-time PCR instrument manufactures and bio-software company, is it possible to purchase the license/patent and integrate Miner into their software package for various Real-time PCR machines?

Yes, it is!

Please feel free to contact our Licensing Associate at Stanford, Imelda Oropeza. who is helping us with the license issue. Her address is:

Imelda Oropeza, Licensing Associate,

Stanford University Office of Technology Licensing
E-Mail:
imelda@stanford.edu
Phone: 650-725-9039, Fax: 650-725-7295

(Patent / License reference number (pending): S04-261 at Stanford University Office of Technology Licensing)

How to cite Miner?

Sheng Zhao, Russell D. Fernald. Comprehensive algorithm for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. J. Comput. Biol. 2005 Oct;12(8):1045-62. PubMed and PDF

 

ABSTRACT

          Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qRT-PCR) have become the method of choice for rapid, sensitive, quantitative comparison of RNA transcript abundance. Useful data from this method depends on fitting data to theoretical curves that enable computation of mRNA levels. Calculating qRT-PCR results requires parameters such as reaction efficiency and the fractional cycle number at threshold (CT) to be used however many algorithms currently in use estimate these important parameters.

          Here we describe an objective method for quantifying qRT-PCR results using calculations based on the kinetics of individual PCR reactions without the need of the standard curve, independent of any assumptions or subjective judgments which allow direct calculation of efficiency and CT. We use a four-parameter logistic model to fit the raw fluorescence data as a function of PCR cycles to identify the exponential phase of the reaction. Next, we use a three-parameter simple exponent model to fit the exponential phase using an iterative non-linear regression algorithm. Within the exponential portion of the curve, our technique automatically identifies candidate regression values using the P-value of regression and then uses a weighted average to compute a final efficiency for quantification. For CT determination, we chose the first positive second derivative maximum from the logistic model. This algorithm provides an objective and noise-resistant method for quantification of qRT-PCR results that is independent of the specific equipment used to perform PCR reactions.

 

Keywords: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Four-parameter logistic model; Three-parameter simple exponent model; Noise-resistant algorithm; Platform independent


* Correspondence to:

Sheng Zhao

Lance Kriegsfeld Lab
Neurobiology Research Laboratory
Department of Psychology and
Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute
3210 Tolman Hall
UC Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720

Phone: 1-510-643-9899

Email: windupzs@gmail.com