Proposal for a performance factor to characterize real-time PCR systems, evaluate premixed DNA-polymerases and assign minimal performance criteria for individual quantitative PCR runs

摘要

Here, we present a simple mathematical algorithm which leads to a so called performance factor based on the amplification efficiency and the correlation coefficient. It is a single normalized number capable to characterize main amplification characteristics of single or multiplex quantitative real-time PCR systems. To show the usefulness of this performance factor, it was applied to calculate a validation criterion of individual quantitative PCR runs, to compare different real-time PCR systems and to compare premixed DNA-polymerase kits from various producers.