New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Mass, has released Luna universal quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) kits, which are optimized for DNA or RNA quantitation from diverse sample sources and target types, and are compatible with a wide range of instruments. The new family of Luna kits utilizes convenient master mix formats and user-friendly protocols to simplify reaction setup. For added convenience, the master mixes are formulated with a reference dye that universally supports real-time instruments—including high-ROX, low-ROX, and ROX-independent instruments—and a noninterfering blue visible dye to assist in tracking the reagents when pipetting into clear multiwelled PCR plates. For RT-qPCR applications, the Luna kits pair Hot Start Taq with Luna WarmStart reverse transcriptase, a novel, engineered reverse transcriptase developed for robust performance and increased thermostability. The WarmStart RT enables room temperature reaction setup, and reactions can be carried out between 50°C and 60°C. For more information, visit New England Biolabs.
