More about PCR dimers! - (Mar/07/2006 )

Hi! I`m another newcomer, an absent-minded newcomer.. Ive got this question: If you have designed a pair of primers that overlap 'only' by one or two bases in 3' extremes. Is the PCR assay always going to produce dimers product the same size as the amplicon? I'm confused because Primer Express and other Primer design programmes let u design this kind of PCRs and what is more, it tells u that they have a good score!!
Well, thank u very much.

I don't understand what you're asking...primer-dimers are rarely the same size as your amplicon? they are typically smaller


could you please clarify your question?

and, how much overlap are we talking? could you post the sequence of your primers? a good tool for checking primers if you want to see potential dimers and 3D structures can be found here; I picked it up on this website and it's a good tool