Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38867172›Full record

ArticleBMC genomics2024

ExonSurfer: a web-tool to design primers at exon-exon junctions.

Pablo Monfort-Lanzas, Elena Cristina Rusu, Lucia Parrakova, Cornelia A Karg, Dorina-Elina Kernbichler, Dietmar Rieder, Peter Lackner, Hubert Hackl, Johanna M Gostner

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC genomics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Molecular Biological Determination ofInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Machine learning-optimized targeted detection of alternative splicing.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Pablo Monfort-Lanzas *Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Biochemical Immunotoxicology Group, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Elena Cristina Rusu *Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Biochemical Immunotoxicology Group, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Lucia ParrakovaInstitute of Medical Biochemistry, Biochemical Immunotoxicology Group, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Cornelia A KargInstitute of Medical Biochemistry, Biochemical Immunotoxicology Group, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Dorina-Elina KernbichlerInstitute of Medical Biochemistry, Biochemical Immunotoxicology Group, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Dietmar RiederInstitute of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Peter LacknerDepartment of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
Hubert HacklInstitute of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Johanna M GostnerInstitute of Medical Biochemistry, Biochemical Immunotoxicology Group, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. johanna.gostner@i-med.ac.at.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundReverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) with intercalating dyes is one of the main techniques to assess gene expression levels used in basic and applied research as well as in diagnostics. However, primer design for RT-qPCR can be complex due to the high demands on primer quality. Primers are best placed on exon junctions, should avoid polymorphic regions, be specific to the target transcripts and also prevent genomic amplification accurately, among others. Current software tools manage to meet all the necessary criteria only insufficiently. Here, we present ExonSurfer, a novel, user-friendly web-tool for qPCR primer design.

resultsExonSurfer combines the different steps of the primer design process, encompassing target selection, specificity and self-complementarity assessment, and the avoidance of issues arising from polymorphisms. Amplification of potentially contaminating genomic DNA is avoided by designing primers on exon-exon junctions, moreover, a genomic alignment is performed to filter the primers accordingly and inform the user of any predicted interaction. In order to test the whole performance of the application, we designed primer pairs for 26 targets and checked both primer efficiency, amplicon melting temperature and length and confirmed the targeted amplicon by Sanger sequencing. Most of the tested primers accurately and selectively amplified the corresponding targets.

conclusionExonSurfer offers a comprehensive end-to-end primer design, guaranteeing transcript-specific amplification. The user interface is intuitive, providing essential specificity and amplicon details. The tool can also be used by command line and the source code is available. Overall, we expect ExonSurfer to facilitate RT-qPCR set-up for researchers in many fields.

Indexed as

DNA PrimersExonsInternetSoftwareHumansReverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionDNA PrimersAlternative splicingExon-exon junctionGene expressionPrimer designRT-qPCRWeb tool

Identifiers

PMID38867172
PMCPMC11170769

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.