PCR Flashcards
What is PCR?
It is a three step cycle that is a chain reaction.
What does the cycle produce?
A growing population of identical DNA molecules.
Why is the reaction mixture heated in each cycle?
To denature the DNA strands.
What does cooling them allow?
It allows annealing short, sing-stranded DNA primers.
What is unique about the short, single-stranded DNA primers?
They are complementary to sequences on opposite strands at the ends of the target sequence.
What is the last step?
A heat-stable DNA polymerase extends the primers.
In which direction are the primers extended?
In the 5’ to 3’ direction.
What would happen if the DNA were not heat-stable?
The DNA would have been denatured with the DNA in the first step.
What else would happen if the DNA were not heat-stable?
It would have to be replaced after each cycle.
What enabled the automating PCR?
The discovery of an unusual heat-stable DNA polymerase.
