What does PCR allow you to do with DNA?

Question

Maya Anderson · Accepted Answer

Amplification.

PCR stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction and is a technique used to make many copies of a single framgent of DNA (amplification).

The image below shows the technique. You start with a fragment of DNA, mix it with:

polymerases: enzymes that will copy the DNA
nucleotides: the building blocks of DNA
DNA primer: a piece of DNA to signal the enzymes where to start replication
Then you go to several cycles of:
1. denaturation : by heating it the double stranded DNA will 'melt' apart #-># single strands for replication
2. annealing : decrease the temperature to allow the primer to stick to the single strands of DNA #-># start signal for replication
3. elongation : increase the temperature to allow the polymerases to start doing their work #-># copied DNA
  After several cycles you end up with a lot of copies of your DNA fragment. This can be used for further analysis.

Sebastian Alvarez · Answer

undefined PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) allows you to amplify a specific segment of DNA, creating millions of copies of that segment from a very small amount of DNA. This technique is used in various applications such as DNA sequencing, genetic testing, forensics, and molecular biology research.