Amplifying DNA

[mheannb]

Amplifying means making many the same copies (replicates) of DNA sequence. This can be made by different methods including cell cloning. One particular method of DNA amplification has proved important in recombinant DNA technology and is used in a series of applications in medicine and forensic science. That method is PCR...

 

Please share your ideas about: What is PCR?

[Strange]

 

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a process used in molecular biology to amplify a single copy or a few copies of a piece of DNA across several orders of magnitude, generating thousands to millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_chain_reaction

[mheannb]

Thank you!

[A trickle of science]

PCR is definitely a technique to become familiar with, especially if studying biology. There are many types of PCR techniques, which the type used should be considered depending upon the analysis you wish to carry our, and the primer you are using.

 

I personally think PCR's top benefit is the fact that you only require a small sample size, therefore, when adding your primer the DNA it will be amplified many times over.

 

This method is handy especially when testing the presence of a gene, such as a foreign pathogens, but PCR can be used in many ways, just make sure you have a good primer.

[CharonY]

I assume you mean "sample concentration" (sample size usually refers to something else). But it should also be noted that untargeted amplifications are also possible, using random primers.

[A trickle of science]

When I mention sample size I refer to the sample size collect from what, or who the sample is being extracted from. Which from this extracted sample, a small sample concentration will be produced.

 

Also, untargeted amplifications will always occur however, the better the primer the more purified your sample will be, meaning more accurate results.

[CharonY]

I still do not understand the first part. Unspecific amplification can be avoided not only by proper primer selection, but also by increasing stringency of your run. But that was not my point. There are many applications where untargeted amplification is actually the goal.