The science

How mcPCR works.

In mcPCR the native 5mC methylation patterns in template DNA are preserved during DNA amplification.  mcPCR is analogous to traditional PCR, and also involves cycles of high-fidelity polymerase-mediated primer extension. However, in mcPCR, after each extension step the 5mC modifications on hemi-methylated strands are precisely copied to the newly synthesised strands using proprietary methyl transferase enzymes (see schematic).  By overcoming this fundamental limitation in PCR, mcPCR amplifies both the 5mC patterns and the underlying genetic sequences of the original sample.