The MiraMas kit from Bioo Scientific, which carries out SYBR Green/qPCR-based profiling of microRNAs and other small RNAs, allows many samples to be processed per kit.
It also allows large panels of miRNA targets to be analysed from each reverse transcription reaction.
Using a proprietary 3' ligation strategy, the MiraMas Kit allows researchers to produce cDNA libraries from up to 150 total or small RNA-enriched samples per kit.
Input amounts of RNA ranging from approximately 10ng to several micrograms can be used for library construction, while higher input amounts can be used to screen hundreds of microRNA targets in up to 30 samples per kit.
Another distinctive feature is the inclusion of control RNAs from liver and brain, as well as control Forward primers targeting tissue-specific and constitutively expressed microRNAs.
It uses a convenient one-tube protocol to convert all of the microRNAs in a sample into cDNA while offering researchers flexibility in terms of sample size and number of reactions performed.
The microRNA targets are amplified using microRNA-specific Forward primers and the Universal Reverse primer included in the kit.
Forward primers are designed using a simple algorithm that does not require modified nucleotides.
Since modified nucleotides and special purification is not required, the cost for the microRNA-specific primers is minimal.
An alternative primer design algorithm is available which can be used to distinguish between closely related microRNAs.
