LightCycler^® Probes

LightCycler probes are highly sensitive and sequence-specific fluorescent probes designed for use with the Roche LightCycler instruments.

Choose LightCycler Probes for:

• SNP detection
• Allele discrimination
• Pathogen detection
• Multiplexing
• Viral load quantification
• Gene expression analysis
• Gene copy determination

Several reporters are available and are suitable for multiplex analysis.

Benefits of Using LightCycler Probes include:

• Increased specificity
• Probe preserved during the reaction
• Increased thermal stability and hybridization specificity
• Greater accuracy in SNP detection and allele discrimination
• Easier and more sensitive probe designs for problematic target sequences

Add Locked Nucleic Acid to Your Probe for:

• Increased thermal stability and hybridization specificity
• Greater accuracy in SNP detection and allele discrimination
• Easier and more sensitive probe designs for problematic target sequences

How LightCycler Probes Work

A LightCycler Probe system consists of a pair of single-stranded fluorescent-labeled oligonucleotides. Oligo Probe 1 is labeled at the 3’ end with a donor reporter and Oligo Probe 2 is labeled at its 5’ end with one of a few available acceptor reporters. The free 3’ hydroxyl group of Probe 2 must be blocked with a phosphate group (P) to prevent DNA polymerase extension. There should be a space of 1 to 5 nt to separate the two probes from each other. The structures and mechanism of a LightCycler probe are shown below.

During the annealing step of qPCR, the PCR primers and the LightCycler Probes hybridize to their specific target regions bringing the donor dye into close proximity to the acceptor dye. When the donor dye is excited by light from the LightCycler instrument, energy is transferred by FRET from the donor to the acceptor dye. The acceptor reporter’s emission wavelength is detected. The increase in fluorescence signal is directly proportional to the amount of target DNA.

Product Features include:

• Amounts: 0.1, 0.25, 1.5, and 15 OD
• Purification: HPLC
• Sequence Lengths: 15 - 40 bases
• Quality Control: 100 % mass spectrometry
• Format: Supplied dry in amber tubes
• Custom formats available (normalization, special plates, etc.)

Our probes are provided in a format to simplify your experimental planning.

The recommended constructs for Oligo Probe 1 and Oligo Probe 2 are listed in the tables below: