PCR

Polymerase Chain Reaction

purpose: to make many copies, starting from a few copies, of a particular DNA sequence very rapidly

A technique, performed in a test tube, to make many copies of a specific DNA sequence

reactants

a. DNA

b. primers: small pieces of DNA with base sequence homology to the ends of the

DNA to be amplified

c. thermal stable DNA polymerase

d. deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dATP, dTTP, dGTP, dCTP)

The reaction is carried out as shown in the diagram below

Every cycle, the amount of DNA doubles