DNA spiking

DNA spiking, also known as custom spiking, is the addition of differing molar concentration of bases at a single position, this is different from codon degeneracy at a position based on codons. Codon based degeneracy is usually equimolar concentration of each base at the same position, while DNA spiking is unequal proportions of bases at a given position (example, 10% A, 75% G, 5% C & 10% T). As another example, with R = A + G codon abbreviation code, 50% of time that ¨R¨ position is adenine and the other 50% of the time it is guanine. However, With a DNA Spiking, the R position could be adenine 70% of the time and guanine 30% of the time. The proportions do not need to be 70:30, they can be anything else such as 12:82 and 64:36.[1]


DNA spiking can also refer to a spike control in PCR, which is when DNA is added to a sample that will provide some signal (e.g. a plasmid or some synthetic DNA with a specific known sequence) to a reaction, and seeing if the reaction will amplify. This method is used to discover if the PCR method is working correctly, as in a PCR machine it may not amplify DNA properly, so by adding spiked DNA it can be observed how much DNA is produced. This is then compared to the amount of DNA that would be theoretically predicted if the machine was working properly so that any malfunctions can be discovered.[2]


See also

RNA spike-in


References

  1. ↑ http://www.genelink.com/oligo_modifications_reference/OMR_mod_category_intro.asp?mod_sp_cat_id=5
  2. ↑ http://www.protocol-online.org/biology-forums-2/posts/31035.html
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