QiagenGeneGlobe
icon_0009_cart-s Cart
icon_0071_person-s My account

Frequently Asked Questions

Here you can find answers to questions tend to recur, for example what are common fail reasons, what should be next steps, etc.

Why did my miRNA assay design fail?

The most common reasons are sequence length too short for primer placement (mature miRNAs are only 21-23 nt), very high sequence similarity to other miRNA family members, or GC content outside the designable range. In some cases the sequence submitted does not match any entry in our reference miRNA database (miRBase).

My miRNA is part of a family (e.g. miR-21, miR-21-5p, miR-21-3p) - can I design an assay specific to one form?

Yes, but it depends on how different the sequences are. Mature miRNAs from the same family or derived from opposite arms of the same precursor can differ by just 1-2 nucleotides, making it very difficult to design a perfectly selective assay. Contact TechSupport if specificity is critical for your experiment.

Should I submit the mature miRNA sequence or the precursor (pre-miRNA)?

Always submit the mature miRNA sequence (21-23 nt). Submitting the precursor (60-110 nt hairpin) will result in a failed or incorrect design, as our assay targets the processed form.

My miRNA sequence is only 22 nt - is that enough?

Yes, that is the expected length for a mature miRNA. Our design algorithm is optimized for this range. If your sequence is shorter than 18 nt or longer than 25 nt, verify that you are submitting the correct mature form.

How do I know if my target miRNA is human, mouse, or another species?

miRNA sequences are often highly conserved across species. Make sure you select the correct organism during design setup, as the same sequence can map to multiple species and affect specificity scoring.

What should I do if my design keeps failing?

Contact our TechSupport team using the link at the top of the page. Include your Design ID so we can review your case directly. Our team can advise on alternative detection strategies if a standard assay design is not possible for your target.
Country and Language
Contact us
Sample to Insight
© QIAGEN 2013–26. All rights reserved
Privacy PolicyTrademarks and DisclaimersImpressum