文摘
Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) is a quantitative assay that requires DNA fragmentation to maximize reaction efficiency. We measured the proportion of mtDNA carrying the “common deletion,” a rare event associated with aging and neurodegeneration. We compared alternative fragmentation methods (sonication and QIAshredder columns) against enzymatic digestion. QIAshredder showed the highest sensitivity when compared to sonication, followed by digestion. QIAshredder and sonication are fragmentation methods that maximize ddPCR quantification for the detection of rare events.