Question

PCR is a technology that has many useful applications with biotechnology. What are some of those applications? What are the advantages of PCR over gene cloning for generating many copies of a DNA fragment?

Answer 1

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a common laboratory technique used to make many copies of a particular region of DNA. The main aim of PCR is to make multiple copies of the specified region of DNA that can be analyzed based on the research work.

Applications includes:

Genotyping, cloning, mutation detection, sequencing, microarrays, forensicsetc.

The cloning of expressed genes and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are the two main biotechnological breakthroughs. Cloning process involves the synthesis of DNA from mRNA using an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. PCR involves the synthesis of multiple copies of specific DNA fragments using an enzyme known as DNA polymerase. This method allows for the creation of billions of DNA molecules within a matter of hours which makes it much more efficient than the cloning of expressed genes. Because this method relies on mRNA rather than DNA ( which is reversal of central Dogma), it provides an excellent means for studying the differences in gene expression in different cells at different points during development process. The main advantage of PCR is its speed to give multiple copies within few hours.