RT-qPCR, RT-PCR and cDNA Synthesis

RNA can be detected, quantified and manipulated through copying via the use of reverse transcriptases (RTs), which are RNA-dependent DNA polymerases. RTs synthesize a strand of DNA that is complementary to the original RNA template and is referred to as cDNA. This cDNA can then be further amplified through PCR, qPCR, or isothermally using, for example, one-step RT-LAMP. Alternately, the cDNA can be used in library preparation for next generation sequencing.

New England Biolabs provides a broad variety of reverse transcriptases and kits for use in these experiments. In addition to stand alone enzymes such as ProtoScript II, NEB provides a number of optimized kits for RT-qPCR, RT-PCR, RNA Seq and isothermal RNA detection.