Comparison between Real-Time PCR and Agarose Gel Electrophoresis for DNA Quantification

Abstract

BACKGROUND Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is generally regarded as a very accurate and time-saving method, but it is expensive to run. We evaluated the reliability of an inexpensive and a researcher-friendly gel electrophoresis-based PCR method for the quantification of mRNA, and the results were compared with those obtained by real-time PCR. METHODS We compared the results of relative quantification for MMP-1 measured by real-time PCR and by ethidium bromide stained-agarose gel electrophoresis after end-point PCR. RESULTS There was significant but very weak correlation between real-time PCR and end-point PCR for relative quantification of MMP-1 (r=0.16, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the use of the gel electrophoresis-based end-point PCR is inappropriate for quantifying mRNA. Therefore, in order to confirm the result of relative quantification by end-point PCR, the newly established real-time PCR method or northern hybridization should be applied.