Master_mix_(PCR)
Master mix (PCR)
Mixture used in molecular biology
A master mix is a mixture containing precursors and enzymes used as an ingredient in polymerase chain reaction techniques in molecular biology. Such mixtures contain a mixture dNTPs (required as a substrate for the building of new DNA strands), MgCl2, Taq polymerase (an enzyme required to building new DNA strands), a pH buffer and come mixed in nuclease-free water.[1][2][3][4]
Master mixes for real-time PCR include a fluorescent compound (frequently SYBR green), and the choice of mix also influence test sensitivity and consistency.[5]
Differences in the choice of master mixes can sometimes explain difference in experimental results, a particular case being the measurement of telomere length.[6][7]