7.1.1 - PCR

Question 1

What is a genome?

Answer 1

the total of all genetic material in an organism

Question 2

What is a gene?

Answer 2

A section of DNA that codes for a protein

Question 3

Who invented PCR and in when was the discovery made?

Answer 3

Kary B.Mullis
1983

Question 4

What do you need for PCR?

Answer 4

Nucleotides, The DNA you want to amplify, Primer, Buffer solution, Taq polymerase

Question 5

What is taq polymerase?

Answer 5

A type of DNA polymerase that is found in hot springs and is therefore stable at high temperatures

Question 6

What are the 3 main steps in PCR?

Answer 6

Denaturation
Annealing
DNA synthesis

Question 7

What happens in the denaturaton stage during PCR?

Answer 7

DNA is heated to 95 degrees, hydrogen bonds between chains break. 2 strands separate

Question 8

What happens in the annealing during PCR?

Answer 8

Mixture is cooled to 50-65 degrees which allows primers to anneal/attach to 3’ end of each strand

Question 9

What happens in the DNA synthesis stage of PCR?

Answer 9

Heated to 72 degrees for DNA polymerase to attach nucleotides. Heat tolerant taq polymerase replicates the region of DNA

Question 10

What do primers do in PCR?

Answer 10

Allow polymerase to join and copy DNA strands
Binds to the section of DNA you want to amplify

Question 11

What are two examples of when PCR is used?

Answer 11

To amplify copies of DNA found at a crime scene
Diagnosis of disease for example those caused by a virus

Question 12

What is a real-time Reverse transcriptase PCR test?

Answer 12

Viruses have RNA as genetic material instead of DNA
Reverse transcriptase is used to convert RNA into DNA
A primer is added and the reverse transcriptase is used to convert RNA into cDNA

Question 13

When would a real-time Reverse transcriptase PCR test?be used

Answer 13

To amplify the DNA of the virus that causes COVID