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tRNA Research Tools

rtStar™ Pre-designed tRNA Primer Sets (H/M) — Accurate Quantification of Individual Mature tRNAs

Arraystar supplies pre-designed tRNA-specific PCR primers for the accurate quantification of individual tRNAs in qPCR. All the primers have been validated in serum samples, and guarantee the most accurate and specific performance when used with Arraystar SYBR® Green qPCR Master Mix.

Validated primers · high sensitivity and specificity · wide linear range

Overview

Validated qPCR primer pairs for individual mature tRNA quantification

rtStar™ Pre-designed tRNA Primer Sets are part of the nrStar™ tRNA PCR System, and can be used in combination with the rtStar™ tRNA-optimized First-Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (AS-FS-004) for mature tRNA detection and quantification.

All the primers have been validated in serum samples, and guarantee the most accurate and specific performance when used with Arraystar SYBR® Green qPCR Master Mix. Pre-designed Human tRNA Primer Sets V2.0 and Mouse tRNA Primer Sets cover mature tRNAs with full annotation from GtRNAdb and mitotRNAdb.

What are pre-designed tRNA primer sets?

Pre-designed tRNA primer sets are validated qPCR primer pairs targeting individual mature tRNAs. They are used with the rtStar™ tRNA-optimized First-Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit and Arraystar SYBR® Green qPCR Master Mix for accurate, specific quantification of individual tRNAs by real-time PCR.

Service at a Glance

Standard catalog products — human and mouse versions available

Product NameCatalog No.SizePrice
rtStar™ Pre-designed Human tRNA qPCR Primer PairAS-NR-001-1-M200 reactions
rtStar™ Pre-designed Mouse tRNA qPCR Primer PairAS-NR-001M-1-M200 reactions

Benefits

Why researchers choose rtStar™ Pre-designed tRNA Primer Sets

✅

Reliable Results

Reliable results with fully validated primers.

🎯

High Sensitivity & Specificity

High sensitivity and specificity for individual mature tRNA quantification.

📈

Wide Linear Range

Accurate quantification over a wide linear range.

⏱️

Time & Cost Savings

Time and cost savings with validated primers and SYBR® Green assay.

🧬

Validated in Serum Samples

All primers validated in serum samples, supporting biofluid tRNA studies.

🔗

System-Compatible

Performs superbly with the rtStar™ tRNA Pretreatment & First-Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (CAT# AS-FS-004) and Arraystar SYBR® Green qPCR Master Mix.

Background

Primer validation and performance

tRNAs are small, heavily modified RNAs that are difficult to quantify accurately by qPCR. The rtStar™ Pre-designed tRNA Primer Sets are part of the nrStar™ tRNA PCR System, and are used in combination with the rtStar™ tRNA-optimized First-Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (AS-FS-004) for mature tRNA detection and quantification.

All primers have been validated in serum samples and guarantee the most accurate and specific performance when used with Arraystar SYBR® Green qPCR Master Mix. Each primer pair produces a single specific amplification product, as demonstrated by amplification and dissociation curves (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Amplification curve (A) and Dissociation curve (B) of example Human tRNA Ser-TGA.
Figure 1. Amplification curve (A) and Dissociation curve (B) of example Human tRNA Ser-TGA.

Primer Set Workflow

From RNA to individual tRNA quantification

1

RNA Preparation

Purified total RNA (with small RNAs retained) is quality checked.

2

cDNA Synthesis

The rtStar™ tRNA-optimized First-Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (AS-FS-004) removes tRNA modifications and synthesizes first-strand cDNA.

3

qPCR Setup

Pre-designed primer pairs are combined with cDNA and Arraystar SYBR® Green qPCR Master Mix.

4

Real-Time PCR

qPCR is run on a standard real-time PCR instrument.

5

Quantification

Individual mature tRNA levels are quantified from the amplification and dissociation curves.

Bioinformatics & Deliverables

Product specifications, primer lists, and manuals

Pre-designed Human tRNA Primer Sets V2.0 and Mouse tRNA Primer Sets are available, with tRNA names and tRNA IDs annotated from GtRNAdb or mitotRNAdb/tRNAdb. Each primer pair is sold with 200 reactions.

Standard Deliverables

Research Applications

Individual tRNA quantification applications

Mature tRNA Quantification

Accurate detection and quantification of individual mature tRNAs, including specific isodecoders, by qPCR.

Biofluid Studies

Primers validated in serum samples support tRNA quantification in biofluids.

Disease Biomarkers

tRNA-based prognostic scoring in lung adenocarcinoma and tRNA expression in cancer studies.

Translation Research

Quantify tRNA supply for codon usage and translation efficiency studies.

Sample Requirements

Recommended RNA input for pre-designed tRNA primer set projects

RNA Amount & Quality

  • Total RNA input: > 5 µg per sample is recommended for tRNA qPCR projects (official Arraystar recommended minimum for the entire experiment in a single attempt, including sample QC).
  • Purification: TRIzol / RNA precipitation or an RNA isolation kit. Because tRNA is < 200 nt, use a kit specified to retain small RNAs (e.g. Qiagen miRNeasy).
  • Concentration: > 20 ng/µL by Nanodrop; OD260/280 ~2.0 (acceptable 1.7–2.1); OD260/230 > 1.8.
  • Integrity: sharp 18S/28S rRNA bands by gel, or RIN > 7.0 by Bioanalyzer (serum/plasma/exosome/FFPE RNA exempt).
  • DNase treatment: required because the sample is used for qPCR.

Shipping Instructions

  • Ship RNA in nuclease-free water (> 20 ng/µL), freeze-dried, or in ethanol; store at −80 °C or in liquid nitrogen.
  • Use nuclease-free certified, screw-cap 1.5 mL microtubes; seal caps with Parafilm; place tubes in a plastic bag.
  • Use 10 kg dry ice as refrigerant; include a signed Project Form and the sample list.
  • Ship to: Arraystar Inc., 9430 Key West Avenue #128, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. Contact us before shipping.

FAQ

Common questions about rtStar™ Pre-designed tRNA Primer Sets

What do the pre-designed tRNA primer sets include?
Each set includes validated qPCR primer pairs for individual mature tRNAs. Human Primer Sets V2.0 and Mouse Primer Sets cover mature tRNAs with full annotation from GtRNAdb and mitotRNAdb, and each primer pair is supplied for 200 reactions with the product manual.
Which kit must be used with the primer sets?
The primer sets are used in combination with the rtStar™ tRNA-optimized First-Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (AS-FS-004) for mature tRNA detection and quantification, together with Arraystar SYBR® Green qPCR Master Mix for the most accurate and specific performance in real-time PCR.
How were the primers validated?
All primers have been validated in serum samples, and guarantee the most accurate and specific performance when used with Arraystar SYBR® Green qPCR Master Mix. Validation includes amplification curves and dissociation curves, for example the Human tRNA Ser-TGA assay shown on this page.
What is the recommended RNA input?
We recommend more than 5 µg of total RNA per sample for tRNA qPCR projects — the official Arraystar recommended minimum for the entire experiment in a single attempt, including sample QC. Supplying twice the recommended minimum helps avoid project delays. DNase treatment is required for qPCR.
Can I quantify specific tRNA isodecoders?
Yes. The primer pairs are designed for accurate quantification of individual mature tRNAs, and the annotated primer lists cover tRNA isoacceptors and specific isodecoders distinguishable by real-time PCR. This supports isodecoder-level expression studies, which are increasingly important in translation and disease research.
How many reactions does each primer pair provide?
Each rtStar™ Pre-designed Human or Mouse tRNA qPCR Primer Pair is supplied for 200 reactions (Catalog Nos. AS-NR-001-1-M and AS-NR-001M-1-M), with the product manual describing recommended assay conditions and SYBR® Green protocols for reliable, reproducible quantification of individual mature tRNAs.

Selected Publications

Featured Client Publications Using tRNA Primer Sets

  1. El-Hachem N, et al. Valine aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase promotes therapy resistance in melanoma. Nature Cell Biology, 2024. PMID: 38849541
  2. Tao EW, et al. A specific tRNA half, 5′tiRNA-His-GTG, responds to hypoxia via the HIF1a/ANG axis and promotes colorectal cancer progression by regulating LATS2. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, 2021. PMID: 33588913
  3. Shen Z, et al. tRNA Ini CAT inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell. Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis, 2021. PMID: 34048096
  4. Kuang M, et al. tRNA-based prognostic score in predicting survival outcomes of lung adenocarcinomas. International Journal of Cancer, 2019. PMID: 30838640

Ready to Quantify Individual tRNAs Accurately?

rtStar™ Pre-designed tRNA Primer Sets deliver validated, specific qPCR quantification of mature tRNAs — request a quote or ask about the primer list for your tRNA of interest.