Question

Describe the polymerase chain reaction with line diagram.

Hint:

PCR involves denaturation, annealing, and extension; it is used for amplifying DNA in medical and forensic applications.

Answer 1

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a technique used to amplify a specific segment of DNA, making millions of copies from a small sample.

Steps of PCR:

• Denaturation: DNA is heated to around 94-98°C to break hydrogen bonds, separating it into single strands.
• Annealing: Primers bind to the complementary DNA sequence at around 50-65°C.
• Extension: DNA polymerase synthesizes a new DNA strand by adding nucleotides at around 72°C.

Applications of PCR:

• Used in medical diagnostics to detect genetic disorders and infectious diseases.
• Essential in forensic science for DNA fingerprinting.
• Applied in genetic research and cloning.