Tech Insights

digital PCR

Last updated May 16, 2025, generated by Sumble

What is digital PCR?

Digital PCR (dPCR) is a method for direct quantification of nucleic acids. Unlike traditional PCR, dPCR partitions the sample into many individual, separate reactions, where a single molecule is amplified. After PCR, the fraction of negative partitions is used to determine the absolute number of target molecules in the sample. It is commonly used for rare allele detection, copy number variation analysis, and precise quantification of nucleic acids.

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What other technologies are related to digital PCR?

digital PCR Competitor Technologies

multiplex PCR

Multiplex PCR amplifies multiple targets simultaneously, offering an alternative to dPCR for target quantification or detection. Digital PCR provides absolute quantification, while multiplex PCR offers higher throughput for relative quantification, making them competitors in some applications.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 26% (59) of relevant job posts

qPCR

qPCR is a real-time PCR method used for quantitative analysis of DNA or RNA. While dPCR offers absolute quantification, qPCR relies on relative quantification, making them competitors in applications requiring nucleic acid quantification.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 2% (476) of relevant job posts

NGS

NGS can be used for quantification and detection of DNA and RNA, providing an alternative to dPCR, particularly when analyzing many different sequences simultaneously. dPCR is useful for highly accurate quantification of specific targets, while NGS provides broader sequence information.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 2% (270) of relevant job posts

next-generation sequencing

Next-generation sequencing can be used for quantification and detection of DNA and RNA, providing an alternative to dPCR, particularly when analyzing many different sequences simultaneously. dPCR is useful for highly accurate quantification of specific targets, while NGS provides broader sequence information.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 2% (221) of relevant job posts

real-time PCR

Real-time PCR (qPCR) is used for quantitative analysis of DNA or RNA. While dPCR offers absolute quantification, qPCR relies on relative quantification, making them competitors in applications requiring nucleic acid quantification.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 3% (113) of relevant job posts

quantitative PCR

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is used for quantitative analysis of DNA or RNA. While dPCR offers absolute quantification, qPCR relies on relative quantification, making them competitors in applications requiring nucleic acid quantification.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 3% (54) of relevant job posts

RT-qPCR

RT-qPCR is a real-time PCR method used for quantifying RNA. While dPCR offers absolute quantification, RT-qPCR relies on relative quantification, making them competitors in applications requiring RNA quantification.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 2% (52) of relevant job posts

digital PCR Complementary Technologies

DNA/RNA purification

DNA/RNA purification is a necessary step prior to digital PCR to ensure the quality and purity of the nucleic acid template. It improves the accuracy and reliability of dPCR results.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 14% (52) of relevant job posts

PCR

PCR is the fundamental process used in digital PCR to amplify DNA or RNA templates. dPCR relies on PCR to generate multiple copies of the target sequence within partitions.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 1% (372) of relevant job posts

RT-PCR

RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription PCR) is a type of PCR that is used for amplifying RNA, where the RNA is first converted to cDNA by reverse transcription. This cDNA can be used in Digital PCR to quantify the RNA's expression.

mentioned alongside digital PCR in 1% (82) of relevant job posts