Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is when you amplify the number of copies of a specific region of DNA, in order to produce enough DNA it be adequately tested. To make PCR happen you put the sample of DNA in a thermal cycler and it begins the process of polymerase chain reaction. All steps of PCR have to be heated depending on what you are testing. PCR can happen at varying temperatures and times.

Step 1: Denaturation Step 2: Annealing Step 3: Extension

When denaturation happens it unwinds the double helix of DNA and makes it complimentary.

Annealing is when primers attach to the specific segments of DNA that compliment them.

A great way to remember this step is like a zipper. Extension is when the primers continue to attach to the opposite DNA fragments and then when it’s all connected you have two separate fragments of the same DNA that you can observe and study.

 Medical and Biological Research  Forensic Sciences  Cloning  Diagnosis of infectious diseases  Diagnosis of hereditary diseases  Paternity testing  Identification of fingerprints

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