What is melt curve analysis?
Melt curve analysis is a post-PCR analysis that is compatible with SYBR Green I-based assays. During a melt curve, amplicons produced during PCR are dissociated (or melted) by slowly ramping the instrument from a low temperature to high temperature. The fluorescence is monitored throughout. As the amplification products transition from dsDNA to single-stranded DNA and the SYBR Green I is no longer bound, there is a sharp decrease in fluorescence. The midpoint of this transition is known as the melting temperature (Tm) of the sample and is characteristic of a given DNA sequence. Melt curves are useful for determining the specificity of a PCR reaction, as any non-specific amplification products will have a different melt curve profile than the target sequence.
