UCP Probe PCR Kit (500)

Designed for probe-based real-time PCR, this QIAGEN kit combines Ultra Clean Production chemistry with a unique antibody-mediated hot-start mechanism to deliver results free from residual DNA background. The nucleic acid-depleted master mix is particularly suited to quality control and microbiome workflows, microbial testing, and low biomass sample analysis, where contaminating background DNA must be minimized. All kit components are tested for bacterial and fungal DNA using generic PCR assays for 16S and 18S rRNA coding sequences.

The kit contains a ready-to-use 2x concentrated master mix, UCP PCR water, and UCP ROX dye supplied in a separate tube for cyclers that require a passive reference dye. Two inert dyes provide built-in pipetting control: the master mix contains a blue dye and the UCP Yellow Template Dilution Buffer contains a yellow dye, so that adding template turns the reaction from blue to green as a visual confirmation of correct setup. The hot-start mechanism, stabilized by a Guard additive, keeps the DNA polymerase inactive at ambient temperatures, allowing reaction setup at room temperature without ice. The enzyme is fully activated after a 2-minute incubation step at 95 °C, and ultra-fast two-step cycling protocols deliver results in less than an hour. Quantification is possible over a wide linear range, down to two E. coli bacterial genome (16S) or five C. albicans genome (18S) equivalents.

The kit can be used on any common real-time cycler and delivers consistent sensitivity, reproducibility, and efficiency across instruments. Recommended applications include detection and quantification of contaminating or residual bacterial, fungal, or host DNA, as well as microbial DNA analysis prior to NGS library preparation from swabs or body fluids.