PCR = Polymerase Chain Reaction #1
PCR = Polymerase Chain Reaction #2
The polymerase chain reaction is a method for making many copies of a specific segment of DNA, starting with a very small amount. This technique can be used to identify specific microorganisms from a small amount of DNA and to identify persons involved in crimes from DNA in cigarettes or in a single hair follicle.
The process is:
1.) Heating: Denatures and Separates DNA strands so the Taq polymerase can attach and make copies.
2.) Annealing: Primers anneal- attach to DNA to show Taq polymerase the starting points.
3.) Elongation: Taq polymerase attaches at Primers and moves along the DNA strands to make more copies of the original genes by attaching free DNA nucleotides according to the Base Pair Rule, which is A - T and G - C. This process is repeated until enough DNA has been produced to be identified or used for further research. One molecule of DNA can be amplified to over a million copies, after 21 cycles.
The process is:
1.) Heating: Denatures and Separates DNA strands so the Taq polymerase can attach and make copies.
2.) Annealing: Primers anneal- attach to DNA to show Taq polymerase the starting points.
3.) Elongation: Taq polymerase attaches at Primers and moves along the DNA strands to make more copies of the original genes by attaching free DNA nucleotides according to the Base Pair Rule, which is A - T and G - C. This process is repeated until enough DNA has been produced to be identified or used for further research. One molecule of DNA can be amplified to over a million copies, after 21 cycles.