Set of Novel Tools for PCR Primer Design

Abstract

We have developed a new package of computer programs and algorithms for different PCR applications, including allele-specific PCR, multiplex PCR, and long PCR. The package is included in the upcoming VectorNTI® suite software and attempts to incorporate most of the current knowledge about PCR primer design. A wide range of primer characteristics is available for user manipulation to provide improved efficiency and increased flexibility of primer design. To accelerate the primer calculations, we have optimized algorithms using recent advances in computer science such as dynamic trees and lazy evaluation. Proper structural organization of input parameters provides further program acceleration. New VectorNTI primer design software allows calculations of primer pairs for long PCR amplification of 120-kb genomic DNA in 5 min under most stringent input parameters and clustering 435 primer pairs for multiplex PCR within 30 min on a standard Pentium III® PC. Our program allows the user to take advantage of molecule annotation by applying different kinds of filtering features during PCR primer design.