Quality control of PCR primers used in multiplex STR amplification reactions

Reliable amplification of short tandem repeat (STR) DNA markers with the po lymerase chain reaction (PCR) is dependent on high quality PCR primers. The particular primer combinations and concentrations are especially important with multiplex amplification reactions where multiple STR loci are simulta neously copied. Commercially available kits are now widely used for STR amp lification and subsequent DNA typing. We present here the use of high perfo rmance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (T OF-MS) methods for characterization of commercially available STR kits. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.