What is another term for a negative control in PCR?

A negative control in PCR is often referred to as a contamination control. This type of control is essential for ensuring the specificity and accuracy of the PCR results. The purpose of a negative control is to confirm that any observed amplification is due to the target nucleic acid and not from contamination or non-specific binding. In practice, this means that a sample containing all the PCR reagents except the template DNA is run alongside the experimental samples. If amplification occurs in the negative control, it indicates contamination or issues with the reagents.

While amplification control, positive control, and sample control serve important roles in a PCR experiment, they do not specifically refer to the absence of a target nucleic acid that defines a negative control. Amplification controls validate that the PCR conditions are suitable for amplifying DNA if present, while positive controls demonstrate that the system is capable of producing results when a known target is present. Sample control is typically associated with the assessment of the specimens being tested rather than serving as a baseline comparison for contamination.